


The Hart: Chapter One

by bamby0304



Series: The Hart [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Canon Universe, Death, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:55:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 147,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18754078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bamby0304/pseuds/bamby0304
Summary: When Lizzie was just a few months old, she lost her father. Fifteen years later she lost her mother, and then her sister. Now in her early twenties Lizzie spends her days and nights hunting things and saving people. When the Winchesters meet the bright eyed and bubbly blonde they don’t realise what they’re in for… and neither does she…





	1. Who Is That Girl?

**EPOV**

I walked Harvelle's Roadhouse, my second home. It wasn't really much, just another bar in another small town. But it meant more to me. It meant a lot more. When I had nowhere else to go, or had to lay low for a moment or two, this place was where I could always go no matter what.

The moment the door closed behind me the smell of stale air, leather, denim and _a lot_ of alcohol surrounded me, as an old rock classic played from the jukebox to my left. It was exactly how it always was. It was exactly how I loved it.

Chatter softened as eyes turned to me. Though honestly, it wasn't odd.

Dressed in tight, ripped, fading grey jeans that were tucked into scratched and battered combat boots, a loose white Guns and Roses shirt that fell a little too low, showing off some decent cleavage, with my favourite bold, dark red leather jacket which completed the bad-ass look.

A number of necklaces hung from my neck, all different lengths and styles. A long black leather cord hung low with a wooden cross. A roughly cut quartz pendant hung from an old silver chain sitting just below the neckline of my shirt. Two small silver hearts- each on a chain of their own- sat closer to my neck, though not as close as my black velvet choker.

My honey gold hair was pulled to the back of my head, each stray strand a shimmer of hues that flashed as I moved my head. Naturally my hair fell down my back in long and thick waves, soft and silky. But tonight I'd put my straightener to it, flattening the curls to a point where they were almost stiff.

Big, round eyes that could be both sweet and sultry. They were a blue I'd never seen on anyone else before. Once someone had described them like 'the deep, dark blue sky before night fall, with flecks of light like the silver stars that follow the setting of the sun'. Either way, they'd gotten me whatever I wanted more than a few times.

I had a few tattoos. An arrow on the inside of my left pointer. The infinity symbol on the inside of my left pinky. A humming bird behind my right ear. Peeking out from the small gap between my shirt and pants was a rose. On my collar bone rested three words, 'Live a little...'. Then there was the covered tattoo, the lunar cycle that ran down my spine.

As I continued to stand by the door my pale pink lips curved up into a grin and my tongue ran along my bottom lip as my eyes flickered from face to face.

Hunters sat everywhere, drinking, talking, getting ready for whatever job they had next. I'd just come back from dealing with a nest of vampires with a couple other hunters I'd worked with before. But just like every other time, once the job was done they dumped me here.

I was never the kind of person others kept around for long. I guess with this job you either click or you don't. Unfortunately for me, the people I clicked with were in the life but only on the sidelines. There were only one or two hunters I could actually see myself sticking with.

I lifted my hand to the loose strands of hair hanging by my temple. My long, delicate fingers tucked the hair behind my ear as I set my sights on the person I was looking for. Standing tall- despite my petite and slender figure- I headed for the bar, moving lightly and silently because of my small frame.

Ellen Harvelle turned from the customer she'd just served and found herself staring right at me. "Well, look what the cat dragged in." the cloth she'd been holding was thrown onto the counter as she spread her arm wide. "You gonna come here and say hello, or what?"

Grin growing, I stepped up to the bar, placing my hand on its surface before I jumped over- an easy task with how light I was. Landing right in front of Ellen, I stepped into her arms and accepted her hug, as my own arms wrapped around her.

After losing my family eight years ago I'd come to love Ellen like a surrogate mother. She'd taken me in for a while and helped keep me alive. When things ever got too rough for me, she was always willing to offer her shoulder to cry on or some tough words to set me straight. She made this place home.

"Lizzie?"

I pulled back from Ellen, my grin turning into a smile as I looked over at Jo- Ellen's daughter. She was my best friend, like a sister really. She was smart, witty, funny and one of the best people I knew. There was potential for her to become a great hunter too, but the fact her mother never let her go anywhere made it hard for me to teach her much. Though I still took some time to teach her a few things.

Smiling widely, she came around the bar, reaching me just as her mum stepped back to let us two girls hug.

As Jo and I squeezed each other tightly, Ellen looked to me. "So, the jobs all done?"

Nodding, I stepped from Jo's arms so I could look to both women. "Yep. Done and dusted... Or well, decapitated. Thought I'd come home and see if Ash has any jobs for me." I shrugged, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket. "So, where is he?"

Ellen opened her mouth to speak but Jo beat her to the punch. "Actually, I might have something."

"Excuse me?" both Ellen and I asked, though I sounded more surprised while Ellen sounded more pissed.

Jo simply shrugged. "I've been looking into a couple of disappearances and I thought-"

"Nothing. You thought nothing!" Ellen snapped.

I pulled back and inched myself away from the pair as they started bickering. It wasn't the first time I'd seen or heard the two argue over Jo and hunting. Ellen hadn't liked me being out there and I wasn't even her daughter. So I could only imagine how protective she was of Jo. They were literally the only family both of them had.

 _At least they have each other_.

Moving back to the other side of the bar, I found myself a free table and set myself down on the chair as I leaned back and waited for Ash. A few minutes passed before Jo came to sit across from me, placing two beers on the table for each of us.

"She's impossible."

I grinned, lifting my beer to my lips and taking a quick drink before saying something. "You know you're both just as bad as each other." when she just rolled her eyes I couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Tell you what. You give me the details to this job and I'll let you know whether _I_ think you should do it or not. If its yes, I'll get you out of here myself."

"Really?" her eyes lit up as she realized this was her chance.

Shrugging, I placed my beer back on the table. "Have I ever lied to you before?"

Without hesitating a second longer she was up and out of her seat, rushing to the back of the bar- more than likely to the office- before she came back carrying a file. The moment she placed it in front of me I started to flick through the pages, willing to at least give her a chance.

"So?" she asked before I'd had a chance to finish looking through the first page.

I looked up at where she still stood by the table expectantly. "Honey, its gonna take me a bit longer than two seconds to decide whether or not we're a go. So why don't you give me a few minutes and then I'll come fine you."

"Okay." she nodded, though reluctantly. "I'll be by the bar. Just make sure my mum doesn't find out your doing this or she'll keep both of us from the job." she warned before finally walking away, leaving me to the file.

**DPOV**

After the job Sam and I finished with the mind control twins, we figured we could use some time off. Just a night or two. We'd been crashing at the roadhouse waiting to see if Ash could find any more cases that might lead to more psychics like Sam and the few other's we'd come across lately.

We walked into the bar, nodding to Ellen as she served some customers before the two of us found ourselves a table.

Jo came over a moment later, placing two beers in front of us. "You boys waiting for Ash?"

"Yeah." I nodded, looking up at her. As much as I liked the chick, I didn't think it would go anywhere between the two of us. Not when her mum was always around. So I tried my hardest not to act any differently when it came to her. "You seen him around?"

"Uh yeah, he's back in his room but he should be out soon. Once he finds out someone's waiting for him. But I'll let him know you're here." she shrugged before heading off, her mind clearly somewhere else.

I thought what she said was a little strange. Ash never jumped to attention any other time Sam and I were around, so why would now be any different? Did he have something for us?

Before I could call Jo back or ask Sam what he thought, Ash came out of the back and headed straight for our table. Only to come short as he stopped at the table before ours.

Frowning, I looked around Sam's shoulder and what I saw there had my eyes go wide.

"Dean?" Sam must have noticed the change in my mood. He turned to get a look at what had my attention before he froze as well.

Ash sat next to a chick. But not just any chick, this one was gorgeous. Thick blonde hair pulled back. Pink lips that were obviously soft- I could tell even from here. A few tattoos scattered along her skin. Dressed in boots, tight jeans, a Guns and Roses shirt and dark red leather jacket with a few necklaces hanging from her neck. But it was her eyes that left me speechless. I'd never seen a blue like that before...

She was smiling at Ash as the two spoke. Her eyes crinkled at the corners at whatever he said. Reaching forward, she placed a hand on his which had him tense. I had no idea who this chick was, but she was gorgeous, way out of Ash's league and yet giving him all her attention.

 _Who is that girl_?

**EPOV**

Just like Jo and Ellen, I was pretty close with Ash too. I knew he had a crush on me, I mean he wasn't very good at hiding his feelings when it came to me. But honestly, he was more like a brother. Or, well... Maybe a cousin. I don't think I could ever have a brother as odd as him.

Someone must have told him I was here, because after about ten minutes of being by myself, going through Jo's file, he showed up. He didn't have a job for me, but that was a good thing. Jo seemed to be on to something, and if I agreed to let her take the case then I was going with her.

After talking for a couple of minutes Ash left me to my work again. He had more people to talk to, and I understood that. Plus, I needed to be alone in order to take in all the information Jo had collected.

I was in my own little world for hours. I'd hardly noticed the set of eyes watching me from the table next to mine.

**DPOV**

Ash had nothing for us, as usual. But he was at least decent enough to come by and let us know. I hadn't cared much though. My mind was on other things. On a particular blonde haired and blue-eyed girl to be exact.

Before Ash could leave, I grabbed his shoulder to stop him, nodding to the girl he'd been talking to before. "Who's the chick?"

He looked confused for a moment as he looked from me to my hand on his shoulder, but then he realized who I was talking to and answered the question. "That's Lizzie. She's a hunter. One of the best I know."

I was shocked. "Really? A hunter? She doesn't look like it." I noted, watching as she got up from where she sat at her table and moved to where Jo stood by the bar.

"She may look sweet and innocent. But she is _all_ attitude." Ash turned to look at her as well, leaning forward in his seat as he let out a sigh. "Pure yet rough like an uncut diamond. Beautiful like the evening moon. As intoxicating as whiskey." he shook his head, off in his own little world.

Sam smirked at him, the only one at our table not watching the girl. "You two got a thing going on, Ash?"

I wasn't too sure why, but the idea of a girl like her getting with a guy like Ash made me a little uneasy. Or maybe I was just jealous. Either way, I didn't like the pictures that came to mind at the thought.

Shaking his head, Ash turned back to Sam. "Oh, nah, man. She's always on the road. Jobs got her going everywhere. No point startin' something you can't finish." he shrugged as he got up. "Well, I'll let you two know if I find anything." was all he said before he walked off.

As I watched him leave I found myself turning back to Jo and Liz again. The two were obviously close, though seeing as she was close with Ash that didn't surprise me. Jo, Ellen and Ash were like a family.

The two were talking in hushed tones, keeping an eye out as they gestured to a file that had been placed on the counter in front of them.

Curiosity piqued, I grabbed my beer and down the last of it before getting up. "Gettin' a refill, Sammy." I mumbled as I headed for the bar.

Jo looked up first, the two of them going silent as I came to stand by them. "Dean..." her eyes fell to my empty beer bottle. "Need another?"

"Uh, yeah."

Before Jo could move, Liz turned and reached over the bar as she grabbed a beer and handed it over to me. "It was gonna be mine, but I can get another." she shrugged.

"Thanks." I gave her a slight grin as I offered a short nod. "I'm Dean Winchester."

"Pleasure to meet you, Dean Winchester." she stretched out her hand, which I took and shook without hesitating. "I'm Elizabeth Rose Hart. But my friends call me Lizzie."

"So does that mean we're friends?" I asked as my grin grew a little.

"Not at all." she returned my grin with her own before she turned to Jo. "I'm gonna grab a beer, hang out for a bit longer. I'll see you later." she leaned forward to place a kiss on Jo's cheek and then turned to leave, but not before catching my eyes again as she walked off.

I didn't watch her leave but instead turned to Jo. "You two pretty close, huh?"

Rolling her eyes, she moved to walk behind the bar. "We've been friends for five years or so now. Mum took her in when she was seventeen."

"No family?"

"Nope." she started to wipe down the bench as she went on. "Family died when she was fifteen. Its why she became a hunter." she stopped talking and cleaning as she realized she'd said too much. Sighing, she turned to look at me again. "Why are you so interested anyway? You like her or something?" the way she asked the question was meant to sound lighthearted, but I could hear the slight jealousy in her voice.

 _Yes._ "No." it wasn't a complete lie. Elizabeth was hot, but I didn't know her well enough to like her or not. "Just not used to seeing female hunters as young as her around."

"Well, she's one of the best I know." she went back to cleaning as she kept talking to me. "Even goes off on her own sometimes. But mum doesn't like it, so she tries to find other hunters to tag along with. Doesn't like sticking around here for too long."

"Hey, Jo!" someone called from the other side of the bar.

Looking up, she nodded to the person who'd called for her before she turned to me. "I gotta get back to work." she gave a light smile before she walked off.

I turned and headed back to Sam, beer in hand.

The moment I sat in my seat, he spoke up. "So, did you get her number?" he grinned as if he thought I'd struck out.

I lifted my beer to my lips and took a quick swig not even bothering with a response.

**EPOV**

I'd crashed in Jo's room last night long before the bar had closed or she'd finished work. I'd needed the rest after a long hunt and was now refreshed and rejuvenated. That's how I worked. Run on fuel and fumes for as long as I'm on a hunt, and then crash for about ten to twelve hours to get ready for the next job.

After waking up I'd headed for the bar knowing someone would be there to keep me company while I eat some food. Sure enough, Ellen had kept me company as I ate the greasy bacon and egg sandwich I'd whipped up while she cleaned the bar.

Of course it hadn't taken long before Jo showed up and began to beg her mum to let the two of us go on a hunt together. That's about the time I'd curled up in the booth where I sat, trying my best not to draw attention to myself.

"You can't keep me here!" Jo snapped, following her mother.

"Oh, don't you bet on that, sweetie."

The door to the bar opened, though I seemed to be the only one to notice. The guy from last night- Dean I think his name was- walked in with another guy.

Last night I'd been drawn to Dean, sure. I mean who wouldn't be with those green eyes, perfectly chiseled jaw and that grin he'd given me. _Oh,_ God _that grin._ He was one good looking guy. But I wasn't into getting with other hunters- not again. I was now a strictly civilian kind of girl. Meet 'em then leave while on the job. Best way not to get hurt.

The guy he was with, well I could tell they were brothers in an instant. He was pretty good looking as well. Even though he had a baby face, he was taller- though not by much. It made it hard to figure out if he was the younger brother or the older one- my money was on younger. Brown, almost hazel like eyes, thick dark hair that fell a little past his ears. Yeah, he was pretty cute.

"What are you gonna do, chain me up in the basement?" Jo's voice caught my attention, pulling me back to the arguing women.

"You know what, you've had worse ideas than that lately." Ellen turned to her. "You don't wanna stay, don't stay. Go back to school."

"I didn't belong there. I was a freak with the knife collection."

"Yeah, but getting yourself killed on some dusty back road, that's where you belong?"

Before Jo responded she looked over her mother's shoulder, finally noticing the two guys. She fell silent, clearly not wanting them around to hear all this.

I was different though. I'd been around a lot longer, I'd seen these two fight a lot over the years. Plus, I was actually kind of a part of this argument. It was only a matter of time before Ellen turned her rage on to me for even thinking about taking her daughter on a hunt.

Ellen turned to see what her daughter was looking at, before she simply sighed. "Guys, bad time."

The one who wasn't Dean nodded. "Yes, ma`am."

"Yeah, we rarely drink before ten anyway." Dean noted as they started to back up to leave.

"Wait." Jo called before they could take more than a step or two. "I wanna know what they think about this."

"What, my opinion isn't enough?" I asked, suddenly feeling a little forgotten and insulted. But those feelings were squashed to nothing when Ellen turned to glare at me. "Never mind..." I turned back to my empty plate.

"I don't care what they think." Ellen told her daughter, who continued to grab the file anyway so she could show the guys.

"Are you guys open?"

All five of us turned to see a family of four standing by the door. Their _Nebraska is for Lovers_ shirt gave me an impression they were either tourists or a happy holidaying family.

"No!" Jo answered at the same time her mother snapped yes.

The husband and wife shared a look before the man spoke again, gesturing to the door behind them. "We'll just check out the Arby's down the road." he offered a polite and uncomfortable smile before they all left.

The moment the door closed, the bar phone started to ring.

Jo and Ellen turned to each other, neither willing to give in, until one had to. Rolling her eyes, Ellen moved to answer the phone which gave Jo her moment to talk to the guys.

"Three weeks ago, a young girl disappears from a Philadelphia apartment." she offered Dean the folder. When he didn't take it, she insisted. "Take it, it won't bite."

"No, but your mum might." he noted, causing me to chuckle lightly. Jo continued to stand there, giving him no choice but to take the file and give it a quick look.

As he checked it out she went on to explain the case. "This girl wasn't the first. Over the past eighty years, six women have vanished, all from the same building, all young blondes. Only happens every decade or two, so cops never eyeball the pattern. So, we're either dealing with one very old serial killer-"

Dean cut her off suddenly. "Who put this together? Ash?"

Jo shook her head. "I did it myself."

Seeing as Ellen was still distracted, I took this moment to move over to stand next to Jo. "I'm taking this case, and don't think otherwise. But, it's always good to have a few extra pair of hands."

The guy I didn't know turned to Dean with a shrug. "I gotta admit, we hit the road for a lot less. And it might not hurt to have someone else tag along."

"Good." Ellen hung up the phone, coming around to join the conversation again. "You like the case so much, you take it."

"Mum-" Jo went to argue, but Ellen stopped her from going on.

"Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough. I won't lose you too." she then turned to me. "And you sure as hell aren't going either."

My jaw dropped. "Why not?"

"Young blondes." she lifted her hand to gesture at both Jo and me. "You two are exactly what this thing hunts." she turned her attention to me. "I'm fine with you chasing after every other monster out there that's just looking for anything it can get its hands on. But when you are the specific thing that's being hunted..." she shook her head. "It's not happening."

I could not believe this. Sure, I thought Ellen wouldn't be happy with me. But this? This was taking it a step too far.

...

Sure enough, the guys decided to take the case and left shortly after. Jo and I were too pissed to spend another second in the bar, so we headed for her room. After a few minutes I was left on my own, which only made me stew in my anger more. It was when Jo walked in with a big grin on her face that my mood lightened.

"You wanna get out of here?"

I sat up on the mattress I'd been lying on that had been laid out on the floor for me. "And go where exactly?" I asked, feeling a bubbling excitement grow in me as figured out the answer before she said a single word.

She grinned. "We're going hunting."

**Bamby**


	2. We Know What We're Doing

**SPOV**

We'd gotten out of the roadhouse quickly, not wanting to stick around for whatever was coming next. Jo hadn't looked happy with Ellen's decision, but the other girl had just looked pissed.

When I first saw her, I was surprised she was a hunter. She was so small and sweet looking. But the moment Ellen said she couldn't go anywhere, I understood everything. There was a fire in the girl's eyes that even had me a little scared.

The fire told me a lot. An anger like that meant she'd be a good fighter. I also had a feeling she wasn't one to be messed with or underestimated. It also told me why Ash hadn't made a move. Honestly, there'd been a split second where I thought about making a move, but that idea faded the moment I saw how she'd that pissed look in her eyes.

Now at the apartment building for the case, I picked the lock to the particular apartment we needed, so Dean and I could sneak in. Pulling out the EMF reader, I turned to look over my shoulder and at Dean as he closed the door. "I feel kinda bad, snaking their case."

"Maybe." he shrugged, moving around to start searching the place. "Jo put together a good file. But could you see her out here working one of these things?" he licked his tongue. "I don't think so." stopping a few feet from me, he pulled out his EMF reader. "Getting anything?"

"No, not yet." I answered, moving the device around.

It started beeping then, letting us know that there was something here, or that there had been at least.

I looked to where the EMF seemed to be coming from, finding some black goo coming out of a socket in the wall. "What's that?"

"What?" Dean came over to check it out.

Lifting a finger, I poked at the goo, wiping some off. It didn't take a genius to figure out what the stuff was... "Holy crap."

Dean poked at it as well, checking it out. "That's ectoplasm." lowering his hand, he turned to me. "Well, Sam, I think I know what we're dealing with here. It's the _Stay Puft Marshmallow Man_." he told me with a sincere and serious tone, even though he was clearly joking.

Sighing, I shook my head at him. He may find this funny, but I didn't. "Dean, I've only seen this stuff, like… twice. I mean, to make this stuff, you have to be one majorly pissed-off spirit."

"All right, let's find this badass before he snags any more girls." he nodded, turning for the exit.

**EPOV**

Jo and I walked down the halls of the apartment building with the manager between us as he led us to the vacant apartment where one of the kidnapped victims had been taken. Of course, he didn't know she'd been taken. He also didn't know why we were here. According to him, we were two sisters looking for a place to rent.

We'd dressed in civilian clothes, in the hopes that it would make us look more approachable. Jo didn't look much different from her usual look, dressed in her jeans, a shirt and khaki jacket. It was me who'd had a complete wardrobe change.

Swapping my tight, dark, ripped jeans for a flowing white skirt. Instead of a tank top, I wore a sky-blue polo. My boots were gone, replaced with a pair of white flats, and my wavy hair was left to fall down my back. While my leather jacket and necklaces- except for one of the heart ones- were stowed away in my bag. The only thing I couldn't hide were the tattoos on display- the arrow and infinity sign on my fingers.

"It's so convenient." Jo smiled at the manager.

"Yeah." he nodded. "It's a great building. Fixed it up real nice. Apartments come furnished too."

"I bet everyone's so friendly." I beamed.

"It is so spacious. Our friend told us that we absolutely had to come check it out. And I have to admit that she was right."

I nodded, agreeing with Jo's lie. "You did an excellent job with this place." placing a hand on the landlord's arm, I kept smiling sweetly at him.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Dean asked as he and his brother walked around the corner, both clearly shocked to see Jo and myself.

My smile grew as I hurried towards Dean's brother and threw my arms around his neck before placing a quick peck on his lips. "I missed you." batting my eyes at him, I kept myself from laughing at his obvious confusion and discomfort.

"There you are, honey." Jo stepped up to Dean, wrapping an arm around him. "This is my boyfriend Dean and his buddy Sam." Jo explained to the apartment manager.

I turned to the man, nodding as I leaned against Sam. "The four of us are getting an apartment together." I told him excitedly.

The manager nodded, offering both men his hand. "Good to meet you. You boys are lucky to have these two gals."

The confused- and clearly unhappy- look Dean gave Jo did not go unmissed by me, but everyone else seemed oblivious as he played along, pulling Jo closer to him- a little too roughly might I add. "Oh, yeah, she's a pistol."

Still playing her part, Jo looked to Dean. "So did you already check out the apartment?" she asked, and I could feel Dean's brother start to panic slightly as he shifted on the spot. "The one for rent."

It took a moment, but Dean caught on. "You bet. Yes." he nodded, chuckling lightly. "Loved it. Great flow."

"How'd you get in?" the manager asked, confused.

"It was open." Dean answered in an instant.

Changing the subject, I quickly turned to Sam, resting my hand on his chest as I looked up at him. "What about you, babe? Did you like it?"

His arm wrapped around me as he slowly nodded. "Perfect." was all he managed, still clearly uncomfortable.

"Now, Ed, when did the last tenant move out?" Jo asked, getting back to business.

"Uh, about a month ago. Cut and run, too. Stiffed me for the rent."

"Well, her lose, our gain." Jo smiled again. "'Cause if Dean-o loves it, it's good enough for me."

"Oh, sweetie." Dean looked down at her, his smile just as fake.

Reaching into her pocket, Jo pulled out a handful of cash. "We'll take it."

Jaw falling open, the manager took the cash, having no reason not to let us stay in the apartment now.

**DPOV**

Jo, Sam and I were gathering all the weapons and tools we had, and searching through the information Jo had found so we would be ready for whatever was coming out way. There may be ectoplasm, but I liked to be prepared for anything.

Turning to Jo, I sighed. "Does your mother even know you and your friend are here?"

"We told her we were going to Vegas." she answered simply as she grabbed the building's plan.

"You think she's gonna buy that?" _I sure as hell wouldn't_.

"We're not idiots, Dean." Elizabeth spoke as she walked into the living room, now dressed in faded jeans, a white tank and her red leather jacket- a look that I personally liked on her. "Jo got Ash to lay a credit-card trail straight to the casinos. He also found an easy enough job I could do on my own there, which someone else is actually dealing with."

I looked from Elizabeth to Jo, shaking my head. "You know, you shouldn't lie to her like that." I told them, turning back to my gun as I continued to lean it. "And you sure as hell shouldn't be here." the words were mainly directed to Jo.

She just shrugged, not caring for what I had to say. "Well, I am, so untwist your boxers and deal with it."

"Where'd you get all that money from, anyways?" Sam asked as he sat at the other end of the table.

"Working at the roadhouse." Jo answered.

"Hunters don't tip that well." I noted.

"Speak for yourself." Elizabeth mumbled as she pulled herself onto the kitchen bench, drew a gun from the back of her pants and began to pull it apart- like a pro, might I add.

"They aren't that good at poker either." Jo gave me a cocky grin.

Before I could say anything else, my phone began to ring. Biting my tongue, despite the fat I still ha d a lot to say to both girls, I got up from where I'd been leaning against the table, I pulled my phone out and answered it. "Yeah."

" _Are they with you_?"

My heartrate picked up a little at the sound of that voice. I looked to both Jo and Elizabeth as I spoke into the phone again. "Oh, hi, Ellen."

" _They left a note saying they're in Vegas. I don't believe it for a second._ "

I covered the mouth piece of the phone as Jo stepped up to me. Elizabeth didn't move though, she just continued fiddling with her gun while Sam stood and watched Jo and I, clearly unsure about the situation.

"Don't tell her." Jo warned, voice hushed so her mum couldn't hear her.

Keeping my voice low as well, I shook my head. "I'm telling her."

"I'm gonna kill you."

"You're not supposed to be here."

" _Dean?_ " Ellen's voice on the other end pulled my attention back to the phone.

Without really thinking through the situation or consequences, I said the first three words that came to mind. "Haven't seen them."

" _You sure about that?_ "

"Yeah, I'm sure."

" _Well, please, if either of them shows up, you'll drag their butts back here, won't you?"_

"Absolutely."

" _Okay. Thanks, honey_."

Having nothing else to say I hung up, which had Jo beaming up at me.

"You know, you're not that bad after all, Dean." Elizabeth nodded as she clicked the last piece of her gun back into place.

**SPOV**

I sat across from Jo, the two of us going through some paperwork, trying to figure out who the ghost might be. Elizabeth still sat on the kitchen bench, legs folded in front of her as she sharpened some knives. While Dean paced in the living room, listening to Jo as she talked.

"This place was built in 1924. It was originally a warehouse converted into apartments a few months ago." Jo explained, fiddling with a knife.

"Yeah, what was here before 1924?" Dean asked.

Jo shrugged. "Nothing. Empty field."

"So most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building, now he's back and raising hell." I suggested.

"Only problem is, in the past eighty odd years there have been exactly zero violent deaths." Elizabeth spoke up for the first time in a while.

"Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor." Jo noted, causing both Dean and I to give a short scoff. Without even looking at him, Jo spoke to Dean. "Would you sit down, please?"

He hesitated a moment, glancing over at me, before taking a seat at the other end of the table. "So have you checked police reports, county death records?"

"Obituaries." Jo nodded.

"Mortuary reports." Elizabeth added.

"And seven other sources." Jo finished. "I know what I'm doing. _We_ know what we're doing." she gestured to herself and Elizabeth with the knife.

But Dean wasn't buying it. "Think the jury's still out on that one." Jo rolled her eyes and started to fiddle with the knife again, catching Dean's attention. "Could you put the knife down?"

Feeling the tension in the room, I quickly spoke up. "Okay, so it's something else, then. Maybe some cursed object that brought a spirit with it."

Getting back on track, Jo turned to me. "We gotta scan the building, everywhere we can get to, right?"

"Right." Dean answered before I could. "So, you and me will take the top two floors." he gestured to Jo and himself, and then to me and Elizabeth. "Sammy and Elizabeth will take the bottom." giving a quick- and fake- smile, he stood and started for our bags.

"We'll move faster if we split up." Jo noted, turning to get up and stand in his way.

"Yeah." Elizabeth jumped off the counter, moving to stand next to Jo, the two of them glaring up at Dean. "Look, if you don't want Jo going on her own, I'll take her. She'll have my back, I'll have hers. I'd feel better that way."

I wasn't sure if I should be insulted, or if she was insulting Dean. Either way, Elizabeth was clearly protective over Jo. Made sense though. I wasn't sure who was older, but Elizabeth obviously had some experience behind her, unlike Jo. I actually wouldn't have minded if the two girls went together. As long as the job got done.

But Dean just kept grinning down at both of them, not leaving room for any arguments. "This isn't negotiable."

**DPOV**

"So, you gonna buy me dinner?" Jo asked as we walked down the halls, EMF readers scanning everywhere and everything.

"What are you talking about?"

She shrugged. "It's just, if you're gonna ride me this close, it's only decent you buy me dinner."

"Oh, that's hilarious." I shook my head at her. "You know, it's bad enough I lied to your mum, but if you think I'm letting you out of my sight... Like your mum said, you're the spirit's type."

"Exactly."

Frowning, I turned to her again as we rounded the corner. _What the hell does that mean?_ "You wanna be bait?"

"Quickest way to draw it out and you know it." she noted, making me give a short and unamused chuckle that had her stop. "What?"

"I'm so regretting this."

"You know, I've had it up to here with your crap." she lifted her hand to her head for added effect.

"Excuse me?"

"Your chauvinist crap." she explained, not holding back the attitude. "You think women can't do the job. It's why you've got Sam with Lizzie even though I told you she's one of the best hunters I know."

Bored grin on my lips, I shook my head. "Sweetheart, this ain't Gender Studies. Women can do the job fine. Amateurs can't. You've got no experience. What you do have is a bunch of half-baked romantic notions that some barflies put in your head." I shrugged, telling her the harsh truth. "And that friend of yours? You haven't seen her hunt, so saying she's one of the best hunters you know, means nothing to me. And let me tell you-" I stopped myself from saying something I might regret.

But she pushed me to go on. "What?"

"Forget it."

"No, you started this."

"Jo, you got options. No one in their right mind chooses this life. My dad started me in this when I was so young I wish I could do something else."

"You love the job." she noted.

I gave a light chuckle and small grin. "Yeah, but I'm a little twisted."

"You don't think I'm a little twisted too?"

I let out a short sigh, getting back to my point. "Jo, you got a mother that worries about you, who wants something more for you. Those are good things. You don't throw things like that away. Might be hard to find later." I shrugged before turning around and continuing down the fall.

Everything I'd said was true. Women could do the job, and I did want something more for Sammy and me. But the most honest thing I'd told her was that finding a family after you've lost one is hard to do. Sam and I were lucky enough to have each other. I don't know what we'd do if we didn't.

The sound of Jo's gasp had me turn, a slight look of fear was in her eyes as she stood at the corner of the hall way.

"What?"

"I'm not sure."

Walking back to her, I looked around for any signs of change. If she was feeling something, the spirit could be around. But it wasn't my eyes that noticed something different. "You smell that?"

She sniffed the air, trying to figure out what we were smelling. "What is that, a gas leak?"

I shook my head. "No, something else. I know it. Just can't put my finger on it."

As I tried to figure out the smell, Jo crouched down by a vent on the wall, pointing her EMF reader to it. Right away, the scanner began to beep.

Forgetting about the smell, I nodded, a grin forming on my lips. "Mazel tov." I started putting my own EMF reader away. "You just found your first spirit."

"It's inside the vent."

Crouching down next to her, I pulled out my torch before shining it to the vent. Not being able to see much, I handled her the torch and then pulled out a screwdriver before I started to take the cover off the vent.

Taking the torch from her again, I leaned in closer, taking a better look. "There's something in there." reaching in I felt around before grabbing a hold of something and pulling it out. It was a chunk of skin with long blonde hair hanging from it. "Somebody's keeping souvenirs..."

**EPOV**

I hadn't slept last night, though when I was on a case I rarely slept. Instead, Jo and I had sat up going through all the information she'd gathered, trying to figure out who the spirit could be.

The door to one of the bedrooms opened as Sam walked out, pulling his jacket on. "I'm gonna go grab some coffees." he told us as he headed for the door.

I jumped out of my seat in an instant. "I'm coming. I need something covered in sugar or drowned in grease." smiling, I turned to Jo. "You'll be good here on your own?"

"Dean's in the living room, Lizzie. I'm sure if I need anything he'll get up."

"Cool." leaning down, I pressed a kiss to her head before grabbing y leather jacket and moving over to Sam as he stood the door. "Let's go then." I smiled as the two of us left the apartment.

…

Sam and I hadn't really talked yet. I hadn't even apologized for kissing him yesterday- and I probably wasn't going to. Even last night when we'd been walking around together, I'd been too pissed to really say much. Dean had gotten under my skin, bossing Jo and I around. But I knew I could get to him too.

Kissing Sam yesterday had freaked the youngest Winchester out… but I'd also noticed the brief look of jealousy from Dean. He liked me… or wanted me, same thing.

As much as I was attracted to Dean, I knew nothing could come from it. Not when Jo had a little crush on him. She was my friend- practically my sister. I knew better than to do anything that might jeopardize that.

Besides, like I said before, I don't sleep with hunters. Been there, done that. They're either jerks or want more than I'm willing to offer.

"So how long have you been hunting?" Sam asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, uh, about eight years." I shrugged, the two of us walking down the halls and stairs.

His jaw practically fell to the floor, a reaction I got from most hunters when they asked that question. " _Eight_ years? How old are you?"

"Twenty-three." I looked up at him then. "You don't look much older than me. So why is it such a shock that I've been hunting for so long? When did you start?"

"It's different-"

Before he could go on, I cut him off. "Why, because you're a guy?"

"No." he scoffed, shaking his head. "It's different because I didn't have a choice. Because my dad dragged my brother and I around the country. Because I've never been alone on the job."

He did have a point there. But it wasn't like I'd had much of a choice either. After losing my entire family to monsters I'd been plagued with the need for revenge. After I finally got it, there wasn't much else I could do with my life.

High school dropout, expert at killing things that go bump in the night, a jar overflowing with trust issues and attitude problems. I wasn't exactly the most likeable person- hence why I found it hard to find people I actually liked hunting with. After spending years hunting and killing things most people didn't even know existed, I felt like I was responsible to continue doing it. That way, I could at least keep others from being pulled into the life.

"Look, Sam." I sighed, shoving my hands into the pockets of my dark red leather jacket. "I get why you and Dean are being protective of Jo and me, but you don't have to be. She's tougher than she looks, and I'm more experienced than you think. I've been out in the world, doing all of this, since I was fifteen years old. So really, there's no need for you to worry about me."

We fell into silence again, the two of us walking side by side without a word being spoken. It was a little uncomfortable, sure, but it wasn't completely bad.

Sam had a kind of calm nature about him. I could tell he was one of the good guys. I guess after being around a bunch of douche bag hunters for so long, it was a pleasant change to be with a guy that actually seemed pretty normal. In fact, there was part of me that felt like Sam could be the kind of guy I could stick with. Hell, even Dean seemed like he could be a good friend.

The job was my life now. I was used to sleeping in cars and cheap hotels. I was used to getting bloody and dirty. I was used to being knocked out, and battered up. I was used to killing things without hesitation. I was used to doing whatever it took to get the job done. I was a hunter through and through, and I loved every bit of it.

But as much as I loved the job, sometimes it was hard. I hated the part where I was tossed to the side once my help was no longer needed. I hated the fact that besides Jo, Ellen and Ash, I didn't have many friends or family- though I did have a surrogate father too, only we didn't get to see each other as much anymore.

Sam stepped up to the entrance doors of the apartment building, pulling it open for me as he gestured for me to go out first. I offered a kind smile and a light nod before stepping out of the building and into the street, only to come to a stop as Sam stepped up beside me.

A cop car was parked out the front of the building, two officers speaking with the manager of the apartment. Something was clearly not right.

"Well..." I looked up at Sam. "This can't be good."

**DPOV**

The sound of sirens in the street woke me up. I was twisted like a pretzel on the uncomfortable recliner. All night I'd been tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable. It's safe to say I hadn't had the best sleep of my life.

I rolled over and looked over to the dining room seeing Jo sitting at the table looking over all the paper work again.

She looked up and smiled at me as she fiddled with her knife. "Morning, princess."

I groaned, sitting up. "Where's Sam and Elizabeth?"

"Went to get coffee."

I stretched, trying to unravel of the kinks and twists my muscles and bones were in because of the uncomfortable 'bed' I'd been left with last night. "My back." I groaned again. "How'd you and your friend sleep on that big, soft bed?" I asked her as I stood up.

"We didn't." she answered simply. "Just been going over everything."

I watched as she focused on the paperwork, absentmindedly flicking the knife around in her hand. It was a small thing, dainty really. It didn't give me much confidence with keeping her safe.

Leaning down to my bag that sat by the kitchen table, I grabbed it and dumped it on to the table before reaching in and fishing out a knife of my own which I then offered to her. "Here."

"What's this for?" she asked, taking the knife from me.

"It'll work a hell of a lot better than that little pig-sticker you're twirling around." I shrugged.

I noticed the way she paused as she looked up at me before offering her own knife. Unsure what this was about, I still took it, looking the weapon over. That's when I saw the letters W.A.H engraved on to the blade.

"William Anthony Harvelle." she answered my unasked question.

I understood in an instant and handed the knife back to her. "Sorry. My mistake."

As we traded knives again, and I put mine away, she watched me, silent at first until she finally spoke up. "What do you- What do you remember about your dad? I mean, what's the _first_ thing that pops into your head?" when I didn't say anything, she pushed for an answer. "Come on, tell me."

Letting out a sigh, I took a seat at the end of the table as I answered her. "I was six or seven, and, uh, he took me shooting for the first time. You know, bottles on a fence, that kind of thing. I bull's-eyed every one of them. He gave me this smile, like... I don't know." I shook my head, looking down at the table.

"He must have been proud."

I let out a little chuckle before turning to her. "What about your dad?"

"I was still in pigtails when my dad died. But I remember him coming home from a hunt. He'd burst through that door like Steve McQueen or something." she smiled, looking away as if she were in the memory now. "And he'd sweep me up in his arms, and I'd breathe in that old leather jacket of his.

"And my mum, who was sour and pissed from the minute he left, she started smiling again. And we were... We were a family." her smile fell then as she turned to me again. "You wanna know why I wanna do the job? For him. It's my way of being close to him. Now, tell me, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing." I answered honestly.

The front door of the apartment opened as Sam and Elizabeth walked in.

"Where's the coffee?" I asked as I turned to them.

The look on Sam's face told me there was something wrong. "There are cops outside." he told us, a little out of breath. "Another girl disappeared."

**Bamby**


	3. The First Serial Killer

**SPOV**

Jo, Elizabeth and I were going through the paper work again. We must have gone through it a hundred times by now. But still, we couldn't figure out who the ghost could be.

Dean walked through the front door, having come back from checking out who was taken. "Theresa Ellis. Apartment 2F." he closed the door. "Her boyfriend reported her missing around dawn."

"And her apartment?" Jo asked.

Dean came over to stand between Elizabeth and me as he answered. "Cracks all over the plaster, walls, ceiling. There was ectoplasm too."

"Between that and that hair, I'd say this sucker's coming from the walls." I noted.

"Yeah, but who is it? Building's history is totally clean." Dean was right. How could there be a ghost here if no one had died violently enough to actually become a ghost?

Jo grabbed one of the old photographs of the property, a frown forming on her face. "Maybe we're looking in the wrong place."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked as he, Elizabeth and I looked to Jo.

"Check this out." Jo turned the photo around to show us.

I took the photo, holding it in front of me so Dean could see. Elizabeth moved closer, leaning across from Dean so she could look at the photo. I could see the two of them in the corner of my eye. Dean's attention turned to her for a moment as he looked down at her. She was completely oblivious to what she was doing- or at least that's how it looked.

Dean liked her, he would never admit it though. Especially not when he liked Jo, too. But Elizabeth was different. I'd never met a girl like her before. She was a typical hunter, and I could tell she was pretty good at her job. But she was more than that. The way she was with Jo, Ellen and Ash, she was the kind of person that wanted a family- but I was sure she'd never admit it.

Focusing on the photo again, I couldn't figure out what Jo had seen. As far as I could see, there was nothing there. It was a picture of an empty lot before the building had ever been built.

"No way." Elizabeth's face turned up into a grin. She grabbed the photo from me. "Is that a prison?" she took a closer look, pointing to the building on the left of the empty lot.

Dean moved closer to her, looking over her shoulder and at the picture. "We're next door to a prison?"

Elizabeth dropped the photo as she pulled out her phone. "Well, I know one way to find out." she grinned before dialing a number into her phone. After a moment or two, her grin turned back into a smile, her voice softer and sweeter. "Hey Ash, it's Lizzie."

**EPOV**

"Thanks, Ash." I smiled into the phone, sitting on the kitchen bench. "And remember, don't tell Ellen, okay? The last thing we need is a distraction when we're so close to finishing this job."

" _No problem, Lizzie. Just call me if you need anything else._ "

"Always do." I told him before hanging up and looking over at the others as they waited by the dining room table. "So, Moyamensing prison, built in 1835, torn down in 1963. They used to execute people by hanging them in the empty field next door. Looks to me like we've found our violent death... Or well, deaths."

Sam nodded. "Then we need a list of all the people executed there."

"Yeah, Ash is already on it." I shrugged, jumping off the counter and moving over to Sam's laptop that sat on the kitchen table. "He's gonna email me the list." opening the laptop, I quickly logged into my emails and sure enough, the list was already there. Taking a quick scan, I noticed a slight issue. "Uh, guys..."

Sam and Dean looked over my shoulders.

"A hundred and fifty-seven names?" Sam sighed.

Dean shook his head. "We gotta narrow that down. Or else we're gonna be digging up a hell of a lot of stiffs."

As I continued to scroll through the list, Sam suddenly stopped me. "Wait." he lifted his hand to the screen, pointing to a name. "Herman Webster Mudgett..." he turned to Dean. "Wasn't that H.H. Holmes' real name?"

Dean looked from his brother and then back to the screen. "You gotta be kidding me." he gestured for me to move. "Let me check something out." shrugging, I got out of the seat and let him take my place, watching as he did a quick web search before he found what he was looking for. "Yep. Holmes was executed at Moyamensing May 7th, 1896."

"H.H. Holmes himself." Sam actually looked impressed. "Come on, I mean, what are the odds?"

"Ah..." I lifted my hand to get the guys' attention. "Care to explain who this guy is to those of us who have no idea?"

"The term 'multi-murderer', they coined it to describe Holmes." Dean turned to Jo and me as he explained. "He was America's first serial killer before anybody knew what a serial killer was."

Sam continued on. "He confessed to twenty-seven murders. But some out the death total at over a hundred."

"And his victim flavour of choice... pretty petite blondes." Dean gave Jo and I a pointed look. "He used chloroform to kill them." he paused then as if realising something. "Which is what I smelled in the hallway last night..." getting back on track, he went on. "At his place, cops found human remains, bone fragments and long locks of bloody blonde hair." he shook his head. "Boy, you two sure know how to pick them."

"We just find the bones, salt them and burn them, right?" Jo asked as if it were that simple, which as far as I was concerned, it was.

Unfortunately, we were wrong.

"It's not that easy." Sam started. "His body is buried in town, but incased in a couple tons of concrete."

Jo frowned, confused. "What? Why?"

But I nodded, seeming to understand. "Let me guess. He disfigured his victims after death. He didn't want anyone doing the same to him."

"We have a winner." Dean grinned at me.

"You know something? We might have an even bigger problem than that." Sam reached for his laptop and pulled up a photo of an old apartment building.

"Bigger than a serial killer who is hell bent on taking every young blonde female he can grab, and whose bones are incased in concrete, which means we can't burn them? Great." I sighed, shaking my head.

"Holmes built an apartment building in Chicago. They called it the Murder Castle. The whole place was a death factory then." Sam explained. "They had trapdoors, acid vats, quicklime pits. He built these secret chambers _inside_ the walls. He'd lock his victims in, keep them alive for days. Some he'd suffocate, others he'd let starve to death."

Jo shook her head, disgusted as she understood what Sam was getting at. "So Theresa could still be alive. She could be inside _these_ walls."

Dean moved from the table, ready for action. "We need sledgehammers, crowbars. We gotta smash these walls anywhere thick enough to hide a girl."

...

Sam and I were teamed up once again, while Dean and Jo were together. I didn't care. I just wanted to get the job done and hopefully save Theresa. There was a large part of me that believed she was still alive, and I was praying I was right.

"So... You ever think about teaming up with other hunters?" Sam asked as he worked our way _in_ the walls, trying to find any place a body or person could be stashed.

"Sometimes. But most hunters don't take me seriously. They see a little girl and nothing more, even after I've saved their asses." I rolled my eyes at the last part. "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "I was just wondering. I mean, Dean and me, we're always on the road, always on the job. It would be nice to have someone else around. Even if it was only for a little while. I know I'd appreciate the extra company." he was trying to play it cool, but I could see where he was getting at.

"Are you asking me if I want to tag along with you and your brother?"

"What? No." he scoffed, but he wasn't the best liar. After a moment or two, he spoke again. "Okay, well, maybe. I've been thinking about it." he admitted. "Ash and Jo say you're a great hunter, and I can tell you're not the type of person to stay in one place for long. I'd rather you be on the road with someone you can trust than jumping from hunter to hunter in order to do the job." he shrugged.

"You think I can trust you and Dean? It's not like I've known you guys for very long. Hell, you don't exactly know me either, Sam."

"I know Ellen and Jo trust you. They trust us." he turned to look at me then. "That's good enough for me."

I was speechless. Never in the eight years of my hunting life had I actually been given the opportunity or invitation to join a hunter for more than one job. It just never happened. People don't like the idea of dragging around dead weight, and with my tiny frame and sweet appearance, I looked like a damsel-in-distress-to-be.

Being able to go from job to job with people I could stick with for longer than a week... I never thought that would ever happen. The longest I've ever stuck with people were a few months, but they'd me back. They saw me as someone to babysit, and not an ally.

The only person I actually ever hunted with on more than one occasion, and stuck with for longer than a month was my surrogate father, Bobby Singer. He was the one who found me after I lost my family. I'd been digging into things I knew nothing about, and he saved my ass. Since then, whenever I needed a place to stay that wasn't the Roadhouse, I knew his door was always open.

Sam and Dean though, I could see it. I could see me tagging along with the brothers. Not forever, obviously- they'd probably get tired of me eventually. But I could definitely see the three of us working on a few cases together.

"Okay." I nodded.

Sam paused and turned to me again. "Really?"

"As long as Dean's okay with it, I'm in." I smiled up at him. "I mean, it'll be nice knowing someone's actually got my back."

We didn't say anything else after that. We just got on with the job, needing to find Theresa as soon as possible.

**DPOV**

Jo and I were moving around, inside the walls. It was a tight fit, but we were managing. Jo was currently on the phone to Elizabeth to see how she and Sam were doing.

"Okay, call us after you check the southeast wall." Jo told her before hanging up. "They're almost done with the first floor. Haven't found jack squat either." she sighed.

I came around a corner, coming to a stop. There was no way I was going to fit through the gap in front of us. It was way too small.

"What is it?"

"It's too narrow." I answered, looking over my shoulder to her. "I can't go any further."

"Let me see." she pushed through before I could stop her.

"What- What are you-" before I could finish what I was trying to say, she started to squeeze past me, her back pressing against my front. "Should have cleaned the pipes." I groaned.

She paused. "What?"

Acting quickly, I gestured to the pipes against the wall. "I wish the pipes were clean."

She just elbowed me as she started to move again. "Shut up." gesturing to the gap, she nodded. "I can fit in there."

There was no way that was happening. Not on my watch. "You're not going in there by yourself."

"You got a better idea?" she asked, having a good point. When I couldn't come up with anything better, she pushed her way past and headed into the tight gap.

Seeing as I couldn't go forward with her and I wasn't going back without her, I stayed where I was and pulled out my phone. Dialing her number, we both agreed to keep contact while she kept moving. I needed to know where she was and that she was okay. The last thing we needed was for her to get taken.

"Where are you?" I asked, looking at the blueprints I'd pulled from my jacket pocket.

" _By the north wall_." she answered. " _I'm heading down some kind of air duct._ "

"No, no, no, stay up here."

" _Dean, we gotta find this girl, don't we? I'm okay._ " she insisted.

Sighing, I checked out the blueprints and found where she could be. "All right, I'm heading to you." I told her before I started to walk back to get out of the walls.

It took a while to get out, but once I was I didn't stop moving. The faster I got to Jo the better I'd feel. So I headed down the halls, moving for the stairs to get to the next level. Everything was perfectly fine, until I heard Jo speak again...

" _Oh, God…_ "

I stopped. "What is it? Jo?" but instead of getting an answer, all I got was the sound of Jo screaming on the other end of the line.

I hung up the phone and ran. I ran as fast as I could, reaching the wall I was sure he'd be behind- at least that's what the blueprints said. Lifting my sledgehammer, I swung and pulled down the wall, desperately needing to get to her.

But once I was finally able to lean into the walls and look inside, my blood ran cold at the sight of her phone lying on the ground, and Jo nowhere in sight.

**SPOV**

Elizabeth had gone back to the apartment while I headed off to find Dean and Jo. I was rounding a corner when someone else came around at the same time and bumped right into me. Looking up, I found myself looking at my brother.

"He's got Jo."

"What?! How'd that happen?" I asked as Dean and I started for the apartment.

"I wasn't with her. I left her alone. Damn it!" he was clearly pissed with himself, but we didn't have time to worry about any of that.

"Look, we'll find her."

"Where?"

"Inside the walls."

"We've been inside the wall all night. None of the other girls are there. She won't be either." he had a point there.

We reached the apartment then. Dean opened the door, the two of us walking in just in time to see Elizabeth struggling against the sofa while a man in black leaned over her, covering her mouth and nose with one hand while the other grabbed at her hair.

"Elizabeth!" Dean reached into his jacket to pull out his knife as I rushed forward.

But before either of us could do anything, Elizabeth reached forward with her left hand and pushed at the man. He disappeared just like ghosts did whenever they were hit with iron or salt.

I came to a stop. "What the hell was that?"

Dean dropped his knife onto the table, hurrying over to her as she pulled herself off the couch. "You okay?" he asked, checking her over.

Catching her breath, she nodded, resting a hand on his shoulder for support. "I was just sitting there and closed my eyes for a second. Then he was on top of me." she shook her head. "Caught me completely off guard."

"How'd you get rid of him?" I asked, still confused with what I just saw.

"Oh, right..." lifting her hand, she showed us the ring that sat on her middle finger. It was a simple wire ring with a twisted knot that kind of looked like a rose. "It's made of iron. Nothing like a knife or crowbar, but it buys me sometime every now and then." she shrugged.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Dean asked again.

I wasn't sure if it was because he'd lost Jo, or because it had been a close call with Lizzie, or maybe there was something else going on, but either way, he was clearly stressed and worried.

She chuckled lightly. "I'm fine, Dean. Promise." she smiled up at him and then turned to me, before her smile fell as she looked to the door. "Where's Jo?"

**EPOV**

I could not believe Dean had lost Jo. I couldn't believe Jo had gone off on her own like that... Actually, yeah, I could believe that. But I couldn't believe Dean let her. It's not like she had the experience I did. It's not like she was used to dealing with all this crap. As much as I had faith in her, I wasn't stupid. Right now, she was in _serious_ danger.

"Maybe we got Holmes' M.O. wrong?" Sam suggested as he looked down at the file of paperwork for the millionth time.

Before Dean or I could say anything, Dean's phone began to ring. Pulling it out, he answered. "Yeah." after a second he froze, and I knew it was Ellen on the other end.

I stepped towards him, gesturing to the phone. "Hand it over."

He just shook his head as he spoke into the phone again. "She's gonna have to call you back." he tried for a lie. "She's taking care of... feminine business." the look on his face made it clear Ellen didn't believe him. He sighed. "Look, we'll get her back."

That was it. I snatched the phone from him, hoping I could save his ass before Ellen ripped him a new one. "Ellen, it's me."

She'd been yelling into the phone, but the moment she heard me she calmed herself. " _Where is she, Lizzie_?"

"I wasn't there, okay. I don't know. But you know me. I won't let anything happen to her."

" _It's a little too late for that, isn't it?_ "

I flinched, feeling a stab in the heart at her words. "I'm sorry, Ellen. We all are."

_"I'm taking the first light out. I'll be there in a few hours_." was all she said before she hung up.

I stood there, listening to the dead tone for a second or two before Dean carefully took the phone from me. "You okay?" he asked.

"No." I shook my head and turned to the paperwork on the table. The faster we found the bastard, the faster I could get my friend back. "Tell me you have something, Sam."

"Maybe." he stood, showing me some blueprints. "Look at the layout of the Holmes Murder Castle. There's other torture chambers inside the walls, right? But there's one we haven't considered yet, the one in his basement."

"This building doesn't have a basement." Dean noted.

Sam nodded. "You're right, but I just noticed this." he gestured to another blueprint. "Beneath the foundation, looks like part of an old sewer system that hasn't been used for-"

"Let's go." I cut him off, heading for the door, not needing an explanation.

**DPOV**

Once we found the entrance to the old sewer, Sam, Elizabeth and I headed down. The three of us knew that we didn't really know what we were going to do one we got to where we hoped Holmes kept his victims. But as we moved through the tunnels, it was Elizabeth who came up with a plan. It was crazy and I hated it, but it was all we had.

We heard the muffled sounds of someone struggle before I saw the ghost of Holmes' reaching into the heavy door of a chute someone must have been locked in.

"Hey!" I yelled, catching his attention before I shot him. The rock salt shells did the job, getting rid of him for the time being. With a minute or two to act, Sam, Elizabeth and I hurried forward.

"Jo?" Elizabeth called.

"I'm here." Jo answered from the chute Holmes had been reaching into.

Both Elizabeth and I rushed over to help Jo while Sam went to check the other chutes just. Sure enough, I could hear him talking to someone else- probably Theresa. Elizabeth and I struggled to get the door to Jo's chute open, grunting and groaning as we eventually managed to move and then open it. Once I handed Sam the rod I'd been using to shift the door, he managed to get the other girl out as well.

Elizabeth dropped the rod she'd been using to shift the door before she reached forward to help Jo. "You okay?"

"Been better." Jo coughed. "Let's get the hell out of here before he comes back."

Elizabeth nodded. "Dean, take her."

Before I could lead Jo out, she stopped. "Wait, aren't you coming?" she asked, looking to her friend with worry in her eyes.

"Remember when I said you being bait was a bad plan?" I reminded Jo, who nodded. "Well... now it's kinda the only one we've got, and Elizabeth volunteered."

**EPOV**

I sat in the middle of the room we'd found Jo and Theresa in. Facing the entrance that lead to where Dean and Sam were hiding, I kept my breathing even. They'd set up the trap, sent Jo and Theresa off to leave the sewer, and insured me I'd be safe. Taking a deep breath, I rolled my ring around my finger, waiting for Holmes to come back.

This wasn't the first time I'd been bait, which made it a little easier. The fact both Dean and Sam hadn't like the idea also helped, but in the end, we all knew this was all we had. Unless they were willing to use Jo, I was our best chance.

Sure, being bait sucked. Most of the time I was put in positions like this just because I was a girl. Most of the time I didn't volunteer and even fought against the decision. It was as if people thought, just because I looked weak and pretty I was the obvious choice. It sucked.

But sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do...

"Now!" Dean yelled.

I rolled out of the way in an instant just as Dean and Sam shot at the traps we'd set up. Salt fell from the walls, circling the room and trapping the ghost. Holmes instantly started freaking out.

While he was distracted I hurried over to Dean who then pulled me to safety. The two of us turned back to Holmes who was still freaking out, which gave me more pleasure than you could ever imagine.

"You wanna get out of here?" Dean asked from beside me.

I turned to him, a grin growing on my lips. "Yes please."

**SPOV**

"So, this job as glamorous as you thought it would be?" I asked Jo as the two of us and Elizabeth stood by the open entrance leading down to the sewer.

"Well, except for all the pee-your-pants terror, yeah, sure." Jo grinned. "But that Theresa girl's gonna live a life because of us. It's worth it, isn't it?"

"Every second, babe." Elizabeth smiled, wrapping an arm around Jo's waist.

Jo smiled back at her, wrapping her own arm around Elizabeth. The two stood like that for a second before Jo frowned slightly. "Hey, what if somebody finds that sewer down there? Or a storm washes the salt away?" she asked.

"Both very fine points." I nodded. "Which is why we're waiting here."

Jo shook her head, confused. "For what?"

The sound of a beeping truck reversing had the three of us turn as Elizabeth answered Jo's question. "For that." she nodded to the cement truck Dean was driving.

Dean backed up until I gave him the signal to stop. Getting out of the truck, he came around to help me set the truck up as so the cement would fall into the sewer.

"You ripped off a cement truck?" Jo couldn't wipe the amused smile of her face.

Dean shrugged. "I'll give it back." he assured her before he started to head towards the lever that would open the back of the truck and let to cement out.

"Oh, I wanna do it!" Elizabeth beamed as she hurried over to follow Dean. Sure enough, he let her do it, a small smile on his face as he did so.

Once the cement started to pour out, the two came back to stand with Jo and I, Dean shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Well, that ought to keep him down there till hell freezes over."

**EPOV**

I sat in the back of Dean's Impala, in between Sam and Jo while Dean drove and Ellen sat in the passenger seat beside him. The car was painfully silent. No one was willing to risk getting their head bitten off by Ellen. Well, no one but Dean of course...

"Boy, you really weren't kidding about flying out, were you?" he gave her a charming smile, which didn't work. So instead, he turned to the radio. "How about we listen to some music?"

_Cold as Ice_ by Foreigner started to play. " _You're as cold as ice-_ "

Before the song could go any further, Ellen reached over and turned it off, leaving us in silence again. It was the most uncomfortable drive I've ever experienced.

...

Ellen had a hold of Jo's arm as she led her into the Roadhouse. I was right behind them, my head hanging low and hands shoved into my pockets. Sam and Dean came in last, clearly wanting to fix the mess we were all in.

"Ellen." Dean spoke, causing us all to stop and turn to him. "This is my fault, okay? I lied to you and I'm sorry. But Elizabeth is a capable hunter. And Jo did good out there. I think her dad would be proud."

Ellen had been listening to him intently, but the moment he mentioned her late husband, she frowned. "Don't you dare say that. Not you." she then turned to Jo. "I need a moment with my daughter. _Alone_."

I didn't even hesitate before I hightailed it out of there, Sam and Dean close behind. I stopped a step or two away from the door, looking at the road.

As much as this place was home, I was pretty sure Ellen wasn't going to want me around. At least for a little while. Last time I'd tried to encourage her to let Jo hunt she hadn't spoken to me for three weeks. I was one hundred percent sure this time was going to be worse.

Jo was a year younger than me. I had a bad habit of being a bad influence when it came to her. We were always getting into trouble, always stressing Ellen out. This was different. I'd risked her life. Jo had nearly died, and I was the one who had agreed to let her go. I was the one who took her to the case...

_I am so screwed..._

The door to the roadhouse opened as Jo stormed out, slamming the door behind her. She didn't even look at me as she walked off, giving the Winchesters a single glance before turning in the opposite direction of them.

I hurried after her. "Jo, talk to me."

She shook her head turning to me. "Leave me alone, Lizzie." there was warning in her eyes, and it hurt me to see how upset she was.

"That bad, huh?" Dean asked as he came to stand with us.

"Not right now." both Jo and I told him as Jo turned to walk off again.

But he didn't listen, following after her. "What happened?" when she ignored him, he reached for her shoulder. "Hey, talk to me."

The moment he touched her she snapped at him. "Get off me!"

"Sorry." he paused. "See ya around." was all he said before he turned and start to walk off, passing me with a single glance.

I looked to Jo, pleading with my eyes, begging for an answer. We were best friends, and I hated seeing her like this.

But instead of speaking to me, she called out to him. "Dean." he turned and she went on. "Turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt. Funny, he usually worked alone. This guy did too. But guess my father figured he could trust him." she shrugged. "It was a mistake. The guy screwed up, got my dad killed."

"What does this have to do-" before Dean could finish, Jo cut him off.

"It was your father, Dean."

He shook his head. "What?"

"Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us? Because he couldn't look my mum in the eye after that. That's why."

"Jo-"

She cut him off again. "Just get out of here. Please, just leave." she told him before turning around and walking off.

I thought about following her. I thought about going off to see if there was anything I could do. But I knew there wasn't. I knew Ellen wouldn't talk to me right now and I knew Jo wanted to be left alone.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I felt alone. More alone than I had in years...

"Sam told me he asked you if you want to tag along." Dean spoke out of nowhere, shocking me. I turned to him as he went on. "You wanna get out of here?"

"Yes please."

**Bamby**


	4. Daphne, Fred, and Velma

**EPOV**

I sat next to Dean, the two of us looking over the newspaper as Sam walked up to our table, juggling three coffees.

I'd been with the guys for a week now. The three of us got along pretty well, and I'd actually been having an enjoyable time. Sam reminded me of the person I used to be, while Dean was more like the person I was now

"There you go." Sam nodded, placing a coffee in front of each of us.

"Anthony Giles." Dean turned the paper over to show Sam the possible case we'd found.

"Who's Anthony Giles?" Sam asked.

"A Baltimore lawyer. Working late at his office." Dean answered, gesturing to the paper. "Check it out."

Sam put his coffee to the side as he grabbed the paper and gave the article a quick read. "His throat was slit, but the room was clean. Huh... no DNA, no prints."

Dean nodded. "Keep reading. It gets better."

Sam frowned curiously as he read a quote from the article. "'Security cameras failed to capture footage of the assailant.'"

"Looks to me like we have another ghost on our hands." I grinned excitedly.

Dean shook his head, turning to me with an amused smile. "I have never met a chick who loves this job as much as you."

I shrugged, grabbing my takeaway coffee cup. "You've never met a chick like me, period." I winked before taking a drink off my coffee.

Sam chuckled lightly. "You two need a room?"

Ignoring him, Dean shrugged. "So what do you think, Velma? Check it out?"

I scoffed. "You think I'm Velma? I'm so Daphne. Hell, I'm probably Fred."

"No, I'm Fred, your Daphne, _he's_ Velma." Dean grinned as he turned to Sam.

Sam went from amused as he listened to the two of us, to insulted by Dean's words, all in matter of seconds. But he didn't respond, because he didn't have time. Before Sam could even open his mouth, Dean was out of his seat and headed for the Impala.

Offering Sam a kind smile, I got to my feet and nodded for him to follow. "Don't worry. I always got the impression your brother was more like Shaggy."

...

Dean, Sam and I were seated at the dining table in the Giles home as we posed as investigators from an insurance company. The three of us were dressed in suits, which I thought looked good on the guys, but I hated my pencil skirt. I was very much a jeans girl.

"Insurance." Karen- the victim's wife- shook her head as she looked down at the form in front of her. "I totally forgot about the insurance."

"We're very sorry to bother you right now, but the company is required to conduct its own investigation." Sam explained to her, lying through his teeth. "You understand?"

"Sure." the look in her eyes told me she was clearly still coping with her loss, and I knew she would be sometime.

It reminded me of how I felt when I lost my family. When I lost the people I cared most about... We'd been a tight group the three of us. The day they were ripped from this world was the day I turned my back on the person I was and became the person sitting at the table pretending to be an investigator with two men I hardly knew.

Sam nodded, willing to press on now. "Okay. Now, if you could just tell us anything you remember about the night your husband died."

"Uh, Tony and I were supposed to have dinner." Karen started, looking to Sam. "He called and said that he was having computer trouble, and he had to work late. That was it."

Dean was to my right while Karen was on my left at the end of the table. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small packet of tissues which I offered her as I gave a small smile. "Do you know if there was anyone that could have done this? Anyone who had a disagreement with your husband?" I asked gently.

She took one of the tissues, shaking her head. "No. No, it's like I told the police, I have no idea." she sniffled, trying to keep herself calm.

"Did Tony mention anything unusual to you the days before his death?" Dean asked, trying to be sensitive, but coming off as odd.

"Unusual?" Karen asked, confused.

"Yeah, like strange." Dean added.

She shook her head, still very confused. "Strange?"

"You know, Karen, weird." Dean elaborated. "Weird noises, visions, anything like that?"

I kicked him under the table. He groaned at the impact but quickly turned it into a cough to cover it up as I turned back to Karen. "What he's trying to say is, if there's anything else you haven't told us. Even the smallest or oddest detail may help." I gave her a light smile.

"He had a nightmare the day before he died. Could that help?"

"Anything and everything can help." I nodded. "Can you tell us anything about the nightmare?"

"He said that he woke up in the middle of the night. And there was a woman standing at the foot of the bed. He blinked, she was gone." she explained. "But it was just a nightmare."

Dean gave a soft and short scoff of amusement before he spoke again. "Did he say what she looked like?"

Karen turned to him, her confusion back as she frowned. "What the hell difference does it make what she looked like?" the change in her tone made it clear she wasn't exactly trusting these questions and where the conversation was going.

I acted quickly, hoping to get her back to trusting us. "Our company's very thorough. We just ask the questions they give us. We don't even know why half of them matter."

Karen hesitated a moment as she looked from Dean and Sam before turning to me. It was obvious she trusted Sam and I more than Dean. But I didn't blame her really. "He said she was pale and she had dark red eyes."

Nodding, I reached over and rested a hand on hers. "Thank you for all your help and time. We'll get back to you as soon as we hear something new. Until then..." I pulled out a fake business card with my real number. "Please feel free to call me if you think of anything else that might help." I offered her one last kind smile before Dean, Sam and I stood and left the house.

We walked down the path from the front door to the road, heading for the Impala, which was parked in front of the Giles' home.

I loved the car. The first time I'd seen it hadn't been a fun time, with Ellen being so pissed and disappointed. But after a few days with the guys, and once I was feeling a little less shitty about the fact I'd upset the only family I had, I could finally appreciate the car. She was a beauty. A '67 Chevy. Sleek and black. Cream coloured leather interior. If sex was a car, she was it.

"Did you have to kick me so hard?" Dean asked once we were out of ear shot from the house.

"Did you have to sound so crazy?" I asked, turning so I was walking backwards, facing the brothers. "I thought you said you'd been doing this job for years. There's this thing called sympathy, Dean. You lost your mum and dad. You know what it feels like." I noted.

Sam had told me about how their family had become hunters. How his mother had been killed by a demon when he was a baby and now they were trying to find and kill it. He told me how they'd only lost their dad a few of months ago and that he died trying to get revenge for his wife.

It wasn't too far off of every other hunter's story, but it was different at the same time. Tragedy was always the reason why hunters became hunters.

Dean hadn't said anything about it yet. I guess he was still dealing with it more than Sam was. I understood how he felt though.

The brothers had asked what happened to me. They wanted to know why I started hunting, and I'd been willing to answer. The words had been on the tip of my tongue. But when I opened my mouth to speak, nothing came out.

There were exactly four people alive today who knew why I was the person I was. Ellen, Jo, Ash and Bobby Singer.

Bobby had taught me how to be a hunter and helped keep me alive. I lived with him on and off over the years. He fed me, clothed me, and kept me safe. He was my second dad, and I loved him. He was the first person I told my story to.

Bobby had directed me to the Roadhouse when I'd gone off to hunt one time. That's where I met Ellen. Once she found out I was Bobby's unofficial daughter, she took me under her wing. She was my second mum and helped me through the emotional pain I'd been bottling up. She was the second person I opened up to.

Jo and I hadn't clicked right away. My own sister and I had been best of friends, and it pained me to think of someone replacing her. But when she came back from school one day, clearly upset, I decided to open up to her so long as she opened up to me. She was the third person to know about my past.

Ash took a little while longer to warm up to. He was odd to say the least. But as years went by I warmed up to him. He helped me find cases, and was always willing to listen to whatever I needed to get off my chest- his crush on me did play a big part in that though. He was the fourth and last person I told my secret to.

"Look, let's just find a hotel, wait until dark and then check out Anthony's office." I suggested as I turned to face forward again, tugging on the coat I wore as we fell silent.

**DPOV**

Just like Liz had suggested, once it was dark the three of us headed for Anthony's office. Once Sam unlocked the door to Anthony's office, the three of us walked in, torches on as we went to started searching the place. We didn't get far before Sam stopped.

"Hey." he caught our attention, shining the light of his torch on to the blood-stained floor. "Anthony Giles' body was found right about here." he lifted the police report on the case as he read from it. "'Throat cut so deep, part of his spinal cord was visible."

I shook my head, moving further into the office. "What do you think? Vengeful spirit, underline vengeful?"

"Yeah, maybe." Sam shrugged. "I mean, he did see that woman at the foot of his bed."

I reached for a piece of paper that sat on the out tray of the printer, lifting it to read what it says. But what I found didn't make any sense to me. "Hey, look at this." I offered Sam the paper.

He took the paper. "Dana Shulps?" he asked. It was repeated over and over on the page, filling it completely. "What's that? A name?"

"It's here, too." Liz spoke up from where she stood by the printer. We turned to her as she showed us another sheet of paper that only read Dana Shulps.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." I laughed lightly.

"Uh... Guys..." Liz and I looked to Sam as he leaned closer to the glass desk and breathed on it. As she pulled back, she revealed the words Dana Shulps written on the glass. "I'd say we've officially crossed over into weird."

"Maybe Giles knew her." I shrugged.

"Or maybe it's the name of our pale, red-eyes mystery girl." Sam suggested.

Liz sighed, moving over to a filing cabinet. "Only one way to find out." she grabbed a bunch of filed and moved over to me, shoving them in my chest. "Time to get to work, boys."

**EPOV**

Dean slammed the draw of one of the filing cabinets, causing me to jump slightly. "There's not a single mention of a Dana Shulps anywhere." he noted, clearly not happy. "There's not a D. Shulps, or any other kind of friggin Shulps."

I pushed a file away from where I sat on the floor by the desk- and away from the dried blood on the floor. "I've got nothing either."

"Great." Sam mumbled.

"What you got?" Dean asked him.

But Sam just shook his head. "Nothing. No Dana Shulps has ever lived or died in Baltimore in the last fifty years, at least."

Dean sighed. "So, what now?"

"Well, I think I'm pretty close to cracking Giles' password. Maybe there's something in his personal files." Sam shrugged.

Dean perked up a little. "By close you mean...?"

"Thirty minutes maybe."

Looking at his watch Dean sighed again. "Awesome. So, I guess Elizabeth and I just get to hang out here then. Awesome." he dropped on to the chair on the opposite side of the desk where Sam was sitting. It took him less than a second before he was bored and started to make noises with his mouth.

Sam turned away from the computer and to his brother. "Dude, seriously."

"All right." Dean stood from the chair. "I'm gonna talk to Karen, see if she knows anything about this Dana Shulps." he turned to me. "You coming?"

"Nope." I answered, stretching my legs out on the ground, crossing one over the other. "I think I'll keep Sam company instead."

He looked slightly offended that I declined his offer, but recovered quickly. "Well, you two behave now. No funny business until after the job is done." he grinned as he headed for the door and left.

**DPOV**

I knocked on the green wooden door of the Giles' home. After a moment or two of silence, I leaned closer as I called out, "Karen you in there?" but there was no answer.

Pulling out my lock-pick kit, I got to work and successfully opened the door in no time before heading into the house. The lights were out. The place was silent. I was not getting a good feeling.

Reaching over, I tried to flick the light switch on, but it didn't work. _This is not good..._

After checking all the rooms downstairs and coming up with nothing, I started for the second floor. All the doors were closed upstairs, except for one. One was slightly ajar, leading into what appeared to be a bedroom.

I headed in that direction, opening the door to find Karen on the floor, dead.

"Oh, God." I moved closer to the body. Her neck had been cut just like Anthony's.

As I went to turn away, I noticed a printer to my right. Reaching over, I grabbed one of the printed sheets, having a pretty good idea at what I was going to find. Sure enough, just like in Anthony's office, Dana Shulps covered the page. It covered all the printed pages.

"Seriously, what the hell?" I sighed, putting the paper back.

My eyes landed on Karen again, which is when I noticed something odd. Crouching down by the body, I reached for her arm and turned it over, seeing bruises wrapped around her wrist. Anthony's report hadn't mentioned anything like that...

"Freeze." the sound of a gun cocking behind me had me turn around. There, in the doorway, was a police woman and man. "Stay on your knees." the woman warned. "Hands where I can see them. Now!"

Having no choice but to listen, I let go of Karen and turned, lifting my hands in the air before I felt the familiar cold metal of cuffs locking on to my wrists."

**EPOV**

"Somethings not right..."

I looked up at Sam from where I was sitting on one of the two double beds in our hotel room, my legs crossed in front of me as I looked through some paper work. "Everything okay, Sam?"

He shook his head, getting up from where he sat at the table. "Dean should be back by now. Or he should have at least called."

"So... What are we thinking?" I asked, unfolding my legs before I climbed off the bed. "Because by the look on your face, you're thinking something serious happened."

He nodded, moving to grab his bag. "Start packing."

"What?" I frowned, confused. "You're not making much sense right now, Sam. Care to explain what's going on, or do I have to start guessing?" I asked, even as I did what I was told and started to pack.

"If Dean isn't back and hasn't called it means two things. One, he's dead. Two, he's been caught." he explained, shoving his things into a bag.

"Caught by who?"

"My guess? The cops."

I spun around to look at him then. "The _cops_?!"

He gave a slight shrug as he avoided looking at me. "Yeah, Dean's kinda wanted… for murder..."

"What the hell do you mean he's wanted for murder?" I snapped as I continued to pack my bag.

"It wasn't him. It was a shapeshifter, which we killed. But it was wearing Dean's face, so if he's been arrested, we have to get out of here. If the police do have him, it's only a matter of time before they come here."

Finished packing, I grabbed my bag and pulled it over my shoulder as I headed for the door. "You know it would have been nice to know this _before_ I started hunting with the two of you." I noted, shaking my head and leaving the room. "I'll meet you at the car." I called to him.

I liked Dean and Sam, I really did. They were different from other hunters. They were fun and pretty easy going at times. They were good at the job, and knew a lot more than some other hunters. They knew when to goof around and when to be serious. It was hard not to like them.

But that did not mean I was willing to go down with them. Not to prison. Nope. Die? Yes. I'd die on the job. It was a risk I'd been taking for years. But to be locked up in a cage with no freedom or free will? Nope, that was not happening.

At the same time, I wasn't leaving the guys. I wasn't the kind of person to turn their back on friends. I stuck with the people I had until we were out of the mess we'd gotten ourselves in. If that meant I had to stick with Sam and help him get Dean free, then that's what I'd do.

Self-survival was important, sure. But I understood the need for others sometimes, and I was more than willing to help if that meant the favour would be returned later.

As I hurried down the stairs and headed for the Impala, I came to a stop at the sight of police vehicles coming down the road. The vehicles stopped at the hotel and I knew in an instant who they were here for.

"Shit." looking around, I played it cool as I headed for the nearest car- which was thankfully unlocked.

Throwing my bag in the back, I then got in the driver's seat and pretended to fix up my hair and makeup as I watched the police climb out of their vehicles. One of them- a female- headed into the head office for a moment or two before exiting and leading the rest of them to the stairs as they moved towards the room Sam, Dean and I had been staying in.

"Shit." I repeated, moving to hotwire the car and get the hell out of there.

**DPOV**

"Well..." Pete Sheridan- the male detective that had been questioning me since I got to the station- walked back into the interrogation room where I was sitting on a chair, cuffed to the table. "First I thought you were just stepping up your game." he took a seat across from me. "Credit card fraud, breaking and entering. Now, this one puzzled me. Grave desecration. But still, these are a long way from murder. Then we get a fax from St. Louis. Where you're suspected of torturing and murdering a young woman.

"However, no one could prove anything, of course, because, supposedly, you died there." he shook his head. "But I gotta tell you something. You look pretty healthy to me." getting up he moved to lean against the table next to me. "So now we know Karen Giles wasn't the first person you murdered. But I guarantee you, she's the last." he said before standing up and walking back out of the room.

Things weren't looking too good...

**SPOV**

I was in an interrogation room, standing by the window, looking out. I was worried about Dean and I was worried about Lizzie. I knew why they had Dean and me here, which is exactly why I was worried about us. But I had no idea where Lizzie was.

She'd left the room just in time. She'd gotten away. Thankfully. I just hoped she stayed away. For her own good.

Diana Ballard -the female detective that had arrested me last night- walked into the room, placing a coffee on the table. "Thought you might be thirsty." she offered a light smile.

"Okay, so you're the good cop. Where's the bad cop?"

"Oh, he's with you brother." she answered without hesitation.

"Okay. And you're holding us why?" I asked, trying to play dumb.

"He's being held on suspicion of murder. And you? We'll see."

"Murder?"

"You sound genuinely surprised. Or are you that good of an actor?"

"Who is he supposed to have murdered?" I asked, dodging her question.

"We'll get around to that."

"You can't just hold us here without formal charges." I argued.

"Well, actually, we can for forty-eight hours. But you, being a pre-law student, would know that." she pointed out. "I know all about you, Sam." she started, grabbing a file as she began to read from it. "You're twenty-three years old, no job, no home address. Your mother died when you were a baby. Your father's whereabouts are unknown. And then there's the case of your brother, Dean. Whose demise was, well, just a little bit exaggerated.

"Feel free to jump in whenever you like." when I didn't say anything, and instead continued to lean on the wall with my arms folded over my chest, she went on. "Shy? No problem, I'll keep going. Your family moved around a lot when you were a kid. Despite that, you were a straight-A student. Got into Stanford with a full ride." she closed the file and turned to me. "Then, about a year ago, there was a fire in your apartment. One fatality, Jessica Moore, your girlfriend. After she died, you fell off the grid. Left behind everything."

"I needed some time off." I explained. "To deal. So I'm taking a road trip with my brother."

"How's that going for you?"

"Great." I shrugged. "I mean, we saw the second largest ball of twine in the continental U.S." I grinned, moving to take a seat at the table- but not before turning the chair around as I sat on it backwards. "Awesome."

"We ran Dean's fingerprints through AFIS."

"Okay."

"Got over a dozen possible hits."

I shrugged. "Possible hits. Which makes them worthless."

"But makes you wonder. What are we gonna find when we run your prints?"

I laughed. "Yeah. Well, uh, you be sure to let me know, all right?" I nodded to her before pointing to the coffee. "May I?"

She gave a short nod. "Please."

"Great." I grabbed the coffee, taking a sip from it.

Walking towards me, she sat on the table as she leaned over to look in my face. "Sam, you seem like a good kid. It's not your fault Dean's your brother. We can't pick our family. Right now, detectives in St. Louis are exhuming a corpse. They're trying to figure out how your brother faked his own death after torturing all those young women. Dean's a bad guy. His life is over. Yours doesn't have to be."

Lowering the takeaway coffee cup, I turned to her. "You want me to turn against my own brother?"

"No. We already caught him cold. Red-handed at the Karen Giles murder scene." she shrugged, getting off the table and moving over to the other side. "We just need you to fill in some missing pieces."

"Why would I do that?"

Taking a seat, he answered. "Because I can talk to the DA. Make a deal for you. You can get on with your life. Dean's as good as gone."

I pretended to think it over for a moment, just to keep her hooked and keep me on her good side, before I spoke again. "My dad and Tony Giles were old friends. They were in the service together. We've known him since we were kids, you know." I lied. "So we came when we heard about his death. So, wouldn't been kinda hard for Dean to kill Tony, considering we weren't in town."

"So, tell me what happened next."

The lies spilled from my lips so easy I almost believed them myself. "That's when we went to see Karen. She was barely holding it together. We just wanted to be there for her, you know. We went over to check on her, but she wasn't doing too good. We stayed for a while, tried to help as much as we could, but eventually we had to leave." I shrugged. "So I gave Karen a hug. Told her to call me if she needed anything, and that was it. End of story."

"Sam," Diana sighed, "I am trying to help you here. But you have got to be honest with me." she stood from her chair. "Now, we have an eyewitness. Someone who saw two men, fitting your and your brother's description, with an unknown female, breaking into Giles' office."

It was the first time there was any mention of Lizzie. I'd been hoping she hadn't been seen by anyone, or that no one had taken notice of her, that way the cops wouldn't look for her.

But I knew there was no hope in hoping. It was Lizzie we were talking about, and she got the attention of everyone... Now it was only a matter of time before she'd be pulled into the station as well.

"Look, Karen called us later, said there was stuff she wanted from Tony's office, but the police weren't letting her in." I kept going with the story. "It was like a picture of the two of them in Paris, and some other stuff. Look, it was wrong to enter a crime scene, but she gave us the key. We went to Tony's office, grabbed what she asked for and then Dean went back to check up on her. I mean, you know, she'd been pretty upset earlier."

"So why didn't you go with him? And who was the woman?" she gave me a knowing look. "Keep dodging her for as long as you want, Sam. I'm not ignoring the fact that there was a third person with you and your brother."

"She's a friend. We bumped into her at the hotel. She was passing through town. The three of us had dinner. Then we went to Anthony's office. Seeing as we rarely get to see her our friend tagged along. After that, I took her to her car to say good bye, Dean went to Karen's."

"And this friend's name is?"

"Hannah. Hannah Thomas." I answered, using the alias Lizzie had used with Karren. Unlike us, she didn't go for the rock star names.

"So you sent Hannah off and then went back to the hotel?"

"Yeah." I nodded before pausing a moment as I looked up at her. "How'd you know I was there, by the way?"

"We found the motel matchbook on your brother when we arrested him." she answered, pulling the mentioned match book from the evidence bag that sat in front of the file. Let's quit fooling around. Now, you were with your brother the whole time you were in Baltimore. Why separate now? Because your brother left to go murder Karen."

"He didn't kill anyone." I told her, keeping calm.

She on the other hand was getting pissed. "I heard the 911 call. Karen was terrified. She said someone was in the house."

I just shook my head. "Dean didn't kill anyone."

**EPOV**

I sat in a diner, in the corner, sipping on a coffee as I tried to think through the case and how I was going to save the guys. First thing I needed to do was figure out who Dana Shulps was. Or _what_ it was...

I pulled out a pen and grabbed a napkin as I started writing down anagrams for Dana Shulps. _Maybe it's a place? Maybe it's a code? Maybe it's a thing?_

Groaning I looked up at the waitress as she passed me. "Hey, could I have another coffee please?"

"Sure thing, doll." she offered a gentle smile before she walked off.

I was going to need all the caffeine I could get. I didn't get any sleep last night, not with the stress of the case and the pressure of being on my own- hopefully that would change soon. I could deal with being alone for a while, but this case was proving to be a huge pain in my ass.

_Yeah... I'm gonna need_ lots _of coffee..._

**DPOV**

I'd been trying to figure out what Dana Shulps might mean where there was a knock on the door before a balding man poked his head into the room.

"Mr Winchester?"

"Yeah."

He smiled, stepping into the room and closing the door. "I'm Jeff Krause. I'm with the public defender's office. I'm your lawyer."

"Oh, thank God, I'm saved." _This guy isn't going to be able to do jack with my case._ As he sat down, I nodded to the briefcase he'd placed on the table. "Hey, can I steal a pen from you, some paper?"

"Sure." he nodded, pulling out a pen form his pocket and some a piece of paper from the briefcase. "Well, the police haven't found a weapon yet, so that's good. But, uh, they got your prints and, literally, blood on your hands." he noted as I started writing down possible anagrams for Dana Shulps. "And with your police record... Mr Winchester, what are you doing?"

"I think it's an anagram." I answered, not really paying much attention to him.

"A what?"

"An anagram. Same letters, different words." I explained. "Could you do me a favour? See if you recognize any of these words. You know, local names, places, anything like that?" I shrugged, sliding a new piece of paper I'd just written on to him.

He looked at me as if I were stupid. "Do you understand how serious these charges are?"

I chuckled lightly, lifting my hands as much as I could. "I'm handcuffed to a table. Yeah, I get it. Humour me. Take a quick look."

Sighing, he grabbed the paper and gave it a once over. "Well, S-U-P, I don't know about that, but Ashland is a street name. It's not far from here." he shrugged, handing the paper over again.

"Street?"

He nodded before getting back to business. "Let's start with where you were the night that Anthony Giles died."

Ignoring him, I wrote down a message on a new sheet of paper. "Can you get in to see my brother?"

The lawyer shook his head. "Mr Winchester, you could be facing the death penalty here."

"Hey, thanks for the law review, Matlock." I ripped off the piece of paper with the note on it. "But if you wanna help me..." I folded the note, "I need you to see my brother."

**SPOV**

A lawyer had come into the interrogation room I was still holed up in, handing me a note he claimed was from Dean. One look from it, and I had no doubt it was from my brother.

_Hilts-_

_It's a street Ashland._

_\- McQueen_

"I hope that's meaningful." the lawyer shrugged. "But I'd like to discuss _your_ case now."

"Sure thing, Matlock." I nodded, gesturing to the chair across from me.

"You two really are brothers, aren't you?" he sighed, taking a seat. "Now, as you know, the DA might be interested in-" before he could go on, there was a knock on the door.

Diana stepped in to the room, looking to the lawyer. "We need you. With the other one." was all she said before the two of them left, and suddenly I was alone.

**Bamby**


	5. I'm an Aquarius

**DPOV**

The lawyer was back, with a female detective I hadn't met, and a few other people who'd set up a camera in front of me. Sheridan was also back. I didn't like the guy, and it wasn't just because he was a cop. There was something else about him.

"Counsellor." Sheridan nodded to the lawyer. "Your boy decided to confess."

"Mr Winchester, I'd advise against that strongly." the lawyer warned.

Ignoring the lawyer, Sheridan looked to me. "Talk directly into the camera. Start by stating your name for the record."

Clearing my throat, I leaned forward and looking into the camera. "My name is Dean Winchester. I'm an Aquarius. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, and frisky women." I grinned. "And I did not kill anyone. But I know who did." I looked up at Sheridan then as I went on. "Or rather, _what_ did. Of course, can't be for sure, because our investigation was interrupted. But our working theory is that we're looking for some kind of... vengeful spirit."

"Excuse me?" the female detective spoke up.

"You know, Casper the bloodthirsty ghost?" I explained. "Tony Giles saw it. I'll bet you cash money Karen did too. But see, the interesting thing it the word it leaves behind. For some reason, it's trying to tell us something. But communicating across the veil ain't easy. Sometimes the spirits, they get things jumbled. You remember redrum? Same concept. You know, it's, uh... Could be word fragments.

"Other times..." I pulled out the piece of paper I'd written on before, showing it to the camera. "It's anagrams. See, at first, we thought this was a name, Dana Shulps. But now, we think it's a street. Ashland. Whatever's going on, I'm betting it started there." I grinned into the camera again.

"You arrogant bastard." Sheridan shook his head. "Tony and Karen were good people. You're making jokes."

"I'm not joking, Ponch." I knew they wouldn't believe me, but there was a reason why I was doing this...

"You murdered them in cold blood just like that girl in St. Louis!"

"Oh, yeah, that wasn't me either." I turned to the camera as I explained. "That was a shapeshifter creature that only looked like me."

"Get up!" Sheridan grabbed my shoulder and pulled me from my chair, pushing me against the wall.

"Pete, that is enough!" the female detective warned.

"You asked for the truth." I shrugged.

Sheridan let me go and started for the door. "Lock his ass up."

I was turned around by another cop before I felt cuffs wrapping around my wrists once again.

**EPOV**

I'd followed the guys' instructions. I found the first hotel in the phone book and I booked a room under my alias' name. That was a few hours ago now, and I'd been spending my time waiting while trying to figure out how to finish this case.

A knock on the door of the hotel room had me climbing off my bed in a scurry and hurrying over to see who was here.

I threw the door open and wide smile spread on my lips before I threw my arms around Sam's neck, reaching up on my toes as I did so. "I thought you two were goners. You had me worried sick."

His own arms came around my waist in a hug. "Dean distracted the cops so I could get out of there."

"So..." I stepped back and looked up at him confused, "Are we breaking him out? I mean, I'm all for it. I'd just like to know what the plan is before we dive into this head first. The last thing we need is all three of us behind bars."

But surprisingly, Sam shook his head. "We're not breaking Dean out." he started as he moved to the bed, grabbing some of the information scattered over the blanket before he went to sit at the table. "We're finishing this case first. Dean figured out Dana Shulps is an anagram. There's a street called Ashland. We should look it up." he suggested.

"Okay." I shrugged, a little unsure but I trusted Sam enough to go along with it. "So let's figure out what it is we're dealing with." nodding, I dropped on to the bed again as I started to read through the paper work once more, determined to finally get to the bottom of this.

**DPOV**

I was back in the interrogation room. Waiting again. Cuffed again. This was getting pretty tiresome, pretty fast.

The door opened as the female detective walked in, not looking too good. If anything, she looked a little scared. But I was too tired to care. After the crap Sheridan put me through, I wasn't really in the mood to play along with whatever crap they wanted me to do now.

"Can we make this quick? I'm a little tired." I told her. "It's been a long day, with you partner assaulting me and all."

She ignored me and asked her question anyway. "I wanna know more about that stuff you were talking about earlier."

"Time Life, _Mysteries of the Unknown_. Look it up." was all I gave her before turning away.

"Let's pretend for the moment, you're not entirely insane." she started, walking to stand on the other side of the table, right in front of me. "What would one of these _things_ be doing here?"

"A vengeful spirit? Well, they're created by violent deaths. And then they come back for a reason, usually a nasty one. Like revenge on the people that hurt them."

"And, uh, these spirits..." she lifted her hand to scratch at her neck nervously, "they're capable of killing people?"

I grinned, about to give some smartass answer, honestly believe that she was just pulling my leg. That was until my eyes noticed her bruised wrist peeking out from the long sleeve of her jacket. That's when my smile fell.

"Where did you get that?"

She looked down at her wrist, lowering it so she could give me a better look. "I don't know." she checked the other wrist, finding a bruise there as well. "It wasn't there before."

I understood then. "You've seen it, haven't you? The spirit."

"How did you know?"

"Because Karen had the same bruises on her wrists. I bet that if you look at Giles' autopsy photo, he's got them too. It's got something to do with this spirit." I shook my head, unable to put the pieces together. "I don't know what."

The officer turned away from me, taking a couple of steps towards the two-way mirror. She held her wrist as she looked off with a terrified look in her eyes. She was scared, and she had every right to be. Everyone else who'd been in her position is dead.

But there was also doubt in her mind as she tried to rationalize everything. People always tried to find some logical reason behind everything.

"I know. You think you're going crazy. Well, let's skip that part, shall we? Because the last two people who saw this thing, died pretty soon after. You hear me?"

She turned to me again then. "You think I'm gonna die?"

"You need to go to Sam and Liz."

"Liz? Who's Liz?"

"Our friend." I shook my head, going on. "They'll help you."

"You're giving them up?"

"Go to the first motel in the yellow pages. Look for Jim Rockford. It's how Sam and I find each other when we're separated." I told her, knowing perfectly well that I was giving her everything she needed to bring both Sam and Liz to the station. "You can arrest them if you want. Or you can let them save your life."

**SPOV**

A knock on the door had me turn to Lizzie as she sat on the bed, looking through a file. "You expecting anyone?"

"Nope." she shook her head. "You think Dean got out?"

"I don't know." though I honestly didn't think he would have, I still got up and answered the door to check.

Instead of Dean standing there, it was Diana...

She spoke quickly, not giving me a chance to open my mouth. "Before you slam this door on my face, we need to talk."

"Sam, who is it?" Lizzie asked as she came over to check. That's when she froze behind me. "You do realize she's the cop that arrested you..."

"Yeah, I know." I sighed, stepping back as I opened the door for Diana. "And she's coming in." I could tell there was something she needed to say, and the fact she came alone told me I could trust her.

"So... You must be Hannah." Diana looked Lizzie up and down. "I heard you left town."

Lizzie grinned, moving to sit on the bed again, grabbing one of her strawberry Twizzlers off the night stand. "Well you heard wrong."

"Ah, Diana... How'd you find us here?"

"Dean told me." she answered, turning away from Lizzie as she looked to me. "He said you can help with these." lifting her hands, she showed me her bruised wrists. Curious, I moved closer to get a better look at the bruises as she spoke again. "I saw the... Ghost."

If she was willing to talk about ghosts, then I had no reason not to trust her for the moment. Anything to get the job done. "These showed up after you saw it?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"All right." I let go of her hands. "You're gonna have to tell us exactly what you saw."

But she just shook her head, walking away. "You know, I must be losing my mind. You're a fugitive. I should be arresting you. And you?" she pointed to Lizzie. "I should be taking you in for questioning."

"You got cuffs?" Lizzie winked, raising her hands out in front of her as she pressed her wrists together, Twizzler hanging from the corner of her mouth. "Take me away officer."

"You're not helping, Lizzie." I sighed.

She was a good hunter and becoming a good friend. I liked her. She knew how to be serious and she knew when to joke around. But whenever she didn't like someone, or whenever someone got on her bad side, she could be painfully sarcastic and sassy. It was funny really. She had a lot in common with Dean...

"Look, you can arrest me later, all right. After you live through this. But right now, you gotta talk to me. Okay?" I told Diana who reluctantly nodded. "Okay, great. Now, the spirit, what did it look like?"

"She was... Really pale. And her throat was cut. And her eyes, they were like this deep dark red. It appeared like she was trying to talk to me, but she couldn't. It was just a lot of blood." she took a seat on the other bed then.

"You know what? Here." I moved over to the table, grabbing a bunch of photos I'd gathered. "Lizzie and I have been researching every girl who's died or gone missing from Ashland Street."

Diana frowned as she stood and moved towards me, looking down at the photos. "How'd you get those? Those are from crime scenes and booking photos."

I just gave a light chuckle and short shrug. "You have your job, I have mine." I answered, handing her the photos. "I need you to look through these, tell me if you recognize anyone."

Taking the photos, she sat on Lizzie's bed and began to look. Lizzie and I waited patiently as she flicked through them, giving each a scan before moving on. She's been through about half the pile when she stopped.

"This is her."

Lizzie looked over her shoulder and at the picture. "Are you sure?" she asked, attitude missing from her tone, now back to business.

"Yes." Diana nodded. "I'm sure of it."

I reached over and grabbed the photo. "'Claire Becker, twenty-eight years old. Disappeared about eight or nine months ago.'"

"But I don't even know her." Diana insisted. "Why would she come after me?"

"Well, before her death, she was arrested twice for dealing heroin." I noted. "You ever work Narcotics?"

"Yeah. Pete and I did. Before Homicide."

I lifted the photo so she could see Claire's face again. "You ever bust her?"

Diana shook her head. "Not that I remember."

Sighing, Lizzie crawled off the bed and came to sit next to me, grabbing Claire's report. "Apparently she was last seen entering 2911 Ashland Street. The police searched the place, but didn't find anything." she dropped the papers and turned to me. "We checking it out? See if we can find the body?"

"What?" Diana's eyes went wide.

"Well... We gotta salt and burn the bones." I explained. "It's the only way to put her spirit to rest."

"Of course it is."

"I call shotgun!" Lizzie grinned as she got up from her seat and headed for the door.

**EPOV**

Sam, Diana and I entered the abandoned building on Ashland Street. The place was covered in dust and dirt, spider webs stretching everywhere and anywhere in the many rooms and hallways of the place.

With my torch shining in front of us, I lead our small group, moving slowly and carefully as I made sure we looked for any give away where a body might be buried or hidden.

"So, what exactly are we looking for?" Diana asked from the back of the group.

I didn't trust the woman. But I didn't really trust any cop or fed. It was one of the many branches of my trust-issue tree.

"I'll let you know when we find it." Sam answered before he tapped my shoulder and pointed over to some stairs. "You wanna check it out?"

Nodding I turned to look at Diana. "Stay down here and call us if you see anything?" I told her before Sam and I went to leave.

Before we could get far, she called out to me. "See what?"

Rolling my eyes and supressing a sigh, I looked over my shoulder at her. "I don't know. Like a scary ghost or a rotting body." I shrugged. "Something along the lines of that." I told her before continuing for the stairs, Sam right behind me.

I hadn't always been like this when it came to cops. My mum had actually been a cop. I'd loved every bit of it growing up. Going to the station, riding in the car, playing with the siren. My mum was a hero. A _super_ hero to me.

But then she died. My sister wasn't too far behind her. I was left alone and I was angry. Following the monsters that had killed my family. I dodged the cops and social services for ages. They were just distractions and obstacles in the way of my revenge.

Then I'd gotten my revenge and calmed down, but the chase for me didn't. I was on the run again, killing whatever monsters I found on the way. Going from hotel to hotel. Perfecting the art of lying. Learning how to pick locks and hotwire cars. I did whatever I could to keep distance between me and the law.

I'd prefer it to stay that way. I really didn't want to end up behind bars, and I would do pretty much anything to make sure that never happened.

"You know, you don't have to be so mean to her." Sam spoke as we moved from room to room, looking for any signs of a body or ghost. "She's confused and scared."

"Please." I rolled my eyes. "She's just waiting for us to save her ass so she can lock a pair of cuffs on each of us and send us down the yellow brick road, all the way to prison."

Sam shook his head. "Come on, Lizzie. She's nothing like that. We need her help, she needs ours. That's all. Once we're done here, we'll all part ways."

"You say it like you mean it. Like you've been through something like this before." I watched him carefully. "Have you worked with cops before. And I don't mean like how you and Dean pretend to be FBI. I mean, have other cops found out the truth about what you do?"

"Yeah." he shrugged. "A couple times."

"And you trusted them?"

"You gotta trust some people sometimes, Lizzie."

"Sam!"

Sam and I turned for the door without hesitating a second. We ran for the stairs, rushing down them as fast as we could as we ran in the direction Diana's voice had come from.

She was scared and something was clearly wrong. She needed us, and at that moment she wasn't a cop. She was someone I had to save.

"Hey!" Sam and I came around the corner, seeing Diana's pressed against the wall shaking. "Hey, we're here. What is it?" he asked, a little out of breath. "What happened?"

"Claire."

I turned to shine the light of my torch around the room. "Where?"

"She was here."

"Did she attack you?" Sam asked her, a look of panic in his eyes.

"No. No, she was just, like, reaching out to me. She was over there by the window." Diana gestured to the window she was facing. Sam and I watched as she moved to the shelf under the window. "Help me move this."

Both Sam and I stepped up and grabbed a side of the shelf and dragged it along the floor, moving it out of the way so Diana could get a better look at the window.

Through the glass we could see the letters D-N-A-L-H-S-A-P-U-S painted. It was fading, and a lot of letters were missing, but it was obviously a sign which once meant something, and considering it was backwards, I guessed it had once said 'Ashland Supplies'.

Diana shone her torch on to the glass. "Our little mystery word."

"Now the extra letters make sense." Sam turned so he was facing the wall opposite the window as he pulled out his EMF reader.

"What is that?" Diana asked, looking around him to see the device.

"Spirits and certain remains give off electro-magnetic frequencies." Sam explained as he started stepping closer to the wall step by step.

Diana followed Sam curiously. "So if Claire's body was here, that would indicate that?"

"That's the theory anyway." I shrugged, looking around for something heavy I could use to break down the wall. Just as I grabbed a slightly heavy, and old pipe, the EMF reader began to beep. "Jackpot."

"Here." Sam gestured to the pipe. "I've got it."

I had wanted to smash the wall down, but I had a feeling I wouldn't have done much damage. The wall looked pretty sturdy, and the pipe was pretty heavy. So I handed it over to Sam and stepped back with Diana, the two of us watching as he brought down the wall brick by brick, until there was a gap big enough for him to look inside.

"Yeah." he nodded, pulling back from the hole. "There's definitely something in there." he grabbed the pipe again, and started to hit the wall once more. "You know..." he grunted as he worked. "This is bothering me."

"Well, you are digging up a corpse." Diana shrugged.

"No, not that. That's pretty par for the course, actually." Sam chuckled lightly.

"Then what?"

"It's just... I mean, no vengeful sprit I've ever tussled with wanted to be wasted. What about you?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "Nope. All nasty assholes who wanna stay right where they are."

"Exactly. So why the hell would Claire lead us to her remains? It doesn't make any sense." he finished breaking down enough bricks then. "All right, Lizzie, give me a hand."

Sam and I reached into the gap in the wall and grabbed on to what I could only assume was a body wrapping in some sort of sheet. Pulling it out, we carefully moved to lay it down on the ground. Diana came to see what was under sheet as Sam and I pulled it away.

Sure enough, there was a body.

Diana reached for the wrists, seeing them bound together.

"Her wrists." Sam nodded, looking from Diana's to the body's. "Yeah, they'd be bruised just like yours."

Something else caught Diana's attention then. Reaching forward, she lifted the necklace from Claire's body.

"That mean anything to you?" I asked from where I was crouched beside her.

"I've seen it before. It's rare. It was custom-made over on Carson Street. I have one just like it." she reached into her shirt and pulled her own necklace out. "Pete gave it to me."

"Holy shit." I shook my head, standing up. "See, this is why I don't trust the police."

Sam stood as well, ignoring my comment. "Now this all makes perfect sense."

"I'm sorry?" Diana was clearly confused.

Sighing, I explained it to her. "Claire isn't a vengeful spirit. She's a death omen. She's not killing anyone. She's trying to warn them." when Diana still look confused, I went on. "Some spirits aren't assholes. Some just want justice. Claire led us here for that. She wants us to know who killed her."

It took a moment longer, but eventually there was a change in Diana's face, and it was clear she understood what Sam and I had figured out.

Sam hesitated a moment before asking, "Detective, how much do you know about your partner?"

Diana's jaw dropped. "Oh, my God."

"What?" Sam and I asked at the same time.

"About a year ago, some heroin went missing from lockup. Obviously if was a cop. We never found out who did it. But whoever did it would need someone to fence their product."

Sam nodded. "Somebody like a heroin dealer. Somebody like Claire."

**DPOV**

"So I'm being extradited to St. Louis, huh?" I asked as I sat in the back of the police van, still hand cuffed. Sheridan was driving, escorting me alone. Which was not giving me good vibes. "And you just decided to transfer me yourself, eight hundred miles at two in the morning?" when he stayed silent, I knew I was in trouble. "This can't be good."

**SPOV**

"All right, thanks." Diana hung up the phone.

I turned to look at her from where I sat in the passenger seat. It was clear something was wrong. "What is it?"

"Pete just left the precinct. _With_ Dean."

Lizzie leaned closer to Diana. "What!?"

"He said the prisoner had to be transferred, and he just took him. Dispatch has been calling. But he won't answer the radio." Diana explained.

"Radio?" I frowned. "He took a county vehicle?"

"Yeah."

"Then it should have a LoJack." I shrugged. "You just gotta get it turned on."

**DPOV**

The van came to a stop, and from what I could see, we were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees. There probably wasn't another soul within the mile...

"Pee break? So Soon? You know, you might wanna get your prostate checked." I joked, hoping the situation wasn't going where it looked to be. Instead of replying, Sheridan got out of the vehicle and started to move to the back of it. "Son of a bitch." _Here it comes..._ Sure enough, he opened the back doors. "Hey, I'm cool in the van. You go do what you gotta do."

He reached for me and pulled me out of the van, throwing me on to the dirt. "You're a cocky son of a bitch. You think those people in St. Louis are gonna buy that crap you telling? Here's the thing. You're not gonna make it to St. Louis. You're gonna die trying to escape." he pulled his gun out and aimed it at me.

"Wait!" I lifted my hands up in defence. "Wait. Let's talk about this. You don't wanna do something you're gonna regret." but he just cocked the gone. "Or maybe you do."

"Pete."

We both turned to see the female detective standing a few feet away, her own gun raised at Sheridan. Behind her stood Sam and Liz. The moment Sheridan turned to them, Sam lifted his hands in the air while Liz pulled out her own gun and aimed it at Pete.

"Put the gun down, Pete." the female detective warned.

"Diana?" Sheridan shook his head, shocked. "How'd you find me?"

"I know about Claire."

"I don't know what you're talking about." it was clear Sheridan was guilty, yet he was still trying to play the innocent card.

Diana wasn't buying any of Sheridan's crap. "Put the gun down."

"Oh, I don't think so. You're fast." Sheridan shrugged. "Pretty sure I'm faster."

Liz spoke up. "You think you're faster than two bullets, Pete."

Sheridan laughed. "Oh, you're not gonna shoot me. I'm a cop. You're a civilian. It's a fast way to get locked up."

When Liz tensed, getting ready to pull the trigger, I shook my head at her, hoping she wouldn't do it. "Elizabeth, don't."

She eased up a bit, doing as I said. But I could see the hesitation in her eyes. She wanted to. She wanted to shoot him, even if that meant killing a cop.

"Why are you doing this, Pete?" Diana asked.

"I didn't do anything." Sheridan insisted.

"It's a little late for that."

"It wasn't my fault. Claire was gonna turn me in. I had no choice."

"And Tony? Karen?"

"Same thing. Tony scrubbed the money. Then he got skittish, and then he wanted to come clean. I'm sure he told Karen everything. It was a mess, I had to clean it up. I just panicked."

"How many more people are gonna die over this, Pete?"

"There's a way out. This Dean kid's a frigging gift. We can pin the whole thing on him. Okay? No trail, nothing, just one more dead scumbag."

I turned to glare at him then. "Hey."

He just pointed the gun at me again, causing me to shut up. Looking to Diana again, he went on. "No one will question it. Diana, please. I still love you."

It took a second or two, but Diana actually lowered her gun.

Thinking he'd won, Sheridan smiled at her. "Thank you. Thank you." then he turned to me again, ready to pull the trigger.

It all happened so quickly. Two shots went off and I thought for sure I was dead. But it was Sheridan who fell to the ground. That's when I realized I wasn't hit, so I quickly rolled out of the way.

"Dean!" Liz dropped her gun as she and Sam hurried over to me.

Diana walked up to Sheridan casually. "Yeah, why don't you buy me another necklace, you ass."

Sheridan grabbed at her legs and tripped her before he reached over and grabbed his gun again, aiming it at Sam and Liz. The two of them froze and my heart sunk. I couldn't watch my brother and our friend die. I couldn't let this asshole take them like that.

"Don't do it. Don't do it." Sheridan warned. He looked from Sam, to Liz, to me and then down at Diana. It was clear he was ready to kill her, and then the rest of us.

It was a groan that stopped him.

Sheridan turned to find a ghost of a woman standing behind him. She was pale, with red eyes and a cut throat. She was the ghost we'd been looking for.

Frozen in fear and confusion, Sheridan was distracted long enough for Diana to grab her gun and shoot him in the back, right through the chest. He fell to the ground, hard and heavy dying in a matter of moments.

**EPOV**

With the bad cop dead and dealt with, I hurried over to Dean. "Are you okay?" I asked as I pulled a clip out of my hair and started to pick the locks of his cuffs.

"Uh... Yeah. But there were two shots... I wasn't hit. Diana didn't have time to pull the trigger _that_ fast." he looked up at me. "Did you shoot him?"

Shrugging, I successfully unlocked one wrist before moving to the other. "You're my friend. You were in danger. Kinda felt like I had to do something."

He grinned. "So you were willing to kill a man, a _cop_ , to save my ass?"

Looking up at him, I gave a short nod. "Yeah."

"Does this mean I can start calling you Liz?"

I rolled my eyes, finishing with the second cuff. "I guess you've earned that right."

Sam came over to us then, offering Dean and hand. The three of us stood and turned to look over at Diana as she crouched by her partner's body. He was dead, there was no doubt about it. He was bad, that was obvious. But that didn't mean she wasn't hurting.

"You doing all right?" Sam asked her.

Sighing, she got to her feet and started towards us. "Not really. The death omen, Claire. What happens to her now?"

"It should be over." Sam answered. "She should be at rest."

"So..." Dean shifted on the spot. "What now, officer?"

"Yeah, you gonna arrest us?" I lifted my hands in front of me, pressing my wrists together. "Take us down to the station? I mean, I did shoot a cop."

Diana just shook her head. "Pete did confess to me, he screwed up both your cases royally. I'd say there's a good chance that we can get your cases dismissed." she noted to the guys before turning to me. "And you shot him in self-defence... Kind of."

Sam was impressed and surprised- almost as surprised as I was. "You could take care of all that for us?"

"I hope so." Diana shrugged. "But the St. Louis murder charges? That's another story. I can't help you. Unless... I just happened to turn my back and you walked away. I could tell them the suspects escaped."

"Wait, are you sure?"

Dean turned to his brother quickly. "Yeah, she's sure, Sam."

"No, it's just you could lose your job over something like that." Sam had a good point.

"Look, I just want you three out there doing what you do best. Trust me. I'll sleep better at night." she went to turn away before she stopped. "Listen, you need to watch your back. They're gonna be looking for all over you now."

"Great." I sighed.

"Get out of here. I gotta radio this in."

Before Diana could leave, Dean stopped her. "Hey, wouldn't happen to know where my car is by chance?"

"It's at the impound yard on Robertson." she answered, looking to each of us before shaking her head. "Don't even think about it."

"It okay, it's all right." Sam assured her. "Don't worry. We'll, uh... We'll just improvise. We're pretty good at that."

"Yeah, I've noticed." she smiled. The three of us went to turn and leave, but this time she stopped us. "Uh, Lizzie, can I have a moment?"

I paused and looked to the guys, giving them a nod each to let them know I was okay, before I turned and walked back to Diana. "What's up?"

"I know you don't trust police, and I can understand why. But maybe you should try letting people in. You'll probably find it'll help." she rested her hand on my arm comfortingly. "People aren't all bad." was all she said before she finally walked off.

Her words had shocked me. As much as I hadn't liked her in the beginning, I guess all the violence and drama had helped me warm up to her. It didn't change my opinion on all cops, but it at least had me giving this one a chance.

Turning around, I hurried after the brother, catching up with them quickly enough.

Dean looked at me as I came to walk on his right. "Everything okay?"

I gave him a light smile. "Everything's fine."

Diana was right. It was about time I started letting people in. It was time I stopped guarding myself, and started trusting my gut instinct.

Sam and Dean, they're good people. I knew I could trust them, and I was sure they trusted me. I hadn't lied to Dean. I meant it when I said I was willing to kill a cop if it meant saving Dean. The same went for Sam. They were my friends, and it was becoming pretty clear that we were going to be together for a while.

**Bamby**


	6. The Crossroad

**DPOV**

Sam and I sat in a diner. He was on his laptop, looking at the damage that was caused after we'd been arrested while I enjoyed some fries and a burger.

"So much for our low profile. You got a warrant in St. Louis. And now you're officially in the Fed's database."

I couldn't help but grin. "Dude, I'm like Dillinger or something."

"Dean, it's not funny. It makes the job harder, we gotta be more careful now."

"What do they got on you?"

He paused a moment before turning back to his computer to check. "I'm sure they just haven't posted it yet."

"Wait, no accessory? Nothing?"

"Shut up."

Chuckling, I turned back to my fries. "You're jealous."

"No, I'm not." he responded defensively."

"All right." I shrugged, changing the subject. "What you got on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man, you?"

He closed his laptop a little too harshly before reaching for the information he'd gathered earlier. "' _Architect Sean Boyden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home, a condominium he designed_ '."

"Build a high-rise and jump off the top of it. That's classy." I scoffed lightly. "When did he call Animal Control?"

"Two days earlier."

"Did he actually say, black dog?"

"Yeah. ' _Vicious, wild black dog'_. The authorities couldn't find it, no one else saw it. In fact, authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator and start roaming the halls of the cushiest joint in town. After that, no more calls, he doesn't show up for work. Two days later he takes a swan dive."

"You think we're dealing with-" I cut myself short at the sound of a giggle. Looking over at the counter of the diner I shook my head at the sight before me. "Come on." I groaned. "Does she ever take a break?"

Sam turned around to see what I was looking at. "Who, Lizzie?"

"Yes, Lizzie." I answered as if it were obvious.

She was leaning against the counter, a guy standing in front of her. She was giving him her flirty grin, batting her eyes and fiddling with his black jacket.

He was taller than her, thin with practically no meat on his bones. Dark and obviously dyed hair that looked like he hadn't brushed in days. Dressed in dark clothes, with a bad boy look about him. There didn't seem to be anything special about the guy, but that didn't seem to matter.

Every town we'd been to, Liz had found at least one guy to keep her entertained. She had no shame in it either. Whenever I mentioned it, she shrugged and commented on the women I picked up. But that was different. She was walking off with strange men, with no back up and no clue who they were or what they wanted to do with her. I didn't like it.

Just then, she gave the guy her phone. It was clear he was giving her his number.

"Oh, come on." I shook my head.

Sam chuckled lightly as he turned back to me. "Now who's the jealous one?"

"I'm not jealous. I'm just concerned for a friend. He could be a serial killer for all she knows. He could have a freezer full of body parts." I noted.

"Dean, I'm pretty sure she knows how to handle herself."

"Hey, what you talking about?" Liz asked as she came to sit next to me, reaching over to grab one of my fries.

"Just talking about the case." Sam shrugged. I was surprised. It wasn't like him to keep something that could embarrass me secret.

"Ah, right." she nodded. "The mysterious black dogs. So, what are we thinking?"

"There's spectral black dogs all over the world. But, some say they're animal spirits, others, death omen." Sam handed me the paperwork so Liz and I could look it over. "Anyways, whatever they are, they're big, nasty-"

"I bet they could hump the crap out of your leg. Look at that one." I grinned, pointing to a picture of a large, scary looking dog.

Liz elbowed me. "Do you have any filter?"

"Nope." I grinned. Trying to play it cool, I casually went on. "So, I see you found a new friend to play with."

"Maybe." a grin of her own grew on her lips. "What's it to you, Winchester? You jealous or something?" she asked as she reached over and fiddled with my jacket, just like she'd been doing with the guy at the counter.

I swallowed hard, looking down at her long delicate fingers. My eyes then looked to hers, and I found myself drowning in the deep, dark pools of blue. There was a mischievous gleam to them, mixed with the obvious flirty grin she was giving me as her eyes wandered all over me.

Her whole look told me she was ready to get up to no good. It made a man's heart race and adrenaline pump, as I thought of all the things we could get up to.

_She's good._

Recovering, I gave a casual shrug. "Why should I be jealous of a bad-boy-wannabe like him? There's no way he could keep up with you." I grinned.

"You think so?"

"Oh, I know so sweetheart."

"So... who do you think _can_ keep up with me?" she leaned a little closer then, biting her lip.

"I can think of at least one person."

"Yeah?" her hand slid up to the collar of my jacket.

We were close now, just a few inches apart. Everything else had fallen away the longer we'd talked and looked at each other. I found myself unable to choose between looking at her lips or looking into her eyes.

Sam had been right, I was jealous. From the moment I saw Liz I knew I liked her. I never wanted anything serious with anyone, and it wasn't different with her. But that didn't mean I liked the idea of her being with other guys.

We'd flirt every now and then. But nothing had happened between us. She'd given me the impression nothing ever would. I had a feeling there was a no-hunters rule or something like that.

Still, here we were, inches apart. It wouldn't take much to lean forward and close the space between us...

Sam cleared his throat, causing both Liz and I to turn to him. "You two done flirting?"

Realizing what we were doing, where we were, who was with us, and how close we were, the two of us pulled back as the grins on our faces dropped. I turned back to my food as Liz turned to the paperwork, neither of us saying a word.

**EPOV**

Sam walked around the room, looking around as he asked the victims friend slash co-worker a question. "So, you and Sean Boyden were business partners for almost ten years, right?"

"That's right." the guy nodded. "One more time, this is for...?"

"A tribute for Mr Boyden." Dean answered. " _Architectural Digest_."

Sean's friend scoffed before chuckling lightly.

"Something funny to you?" Dean asked.

"No. It's just, uh... A tribute. Yeah. See, Sean always got the tributes. He kills himself, leaves me and his family behind, but he gets another tribute."

"Any idea why he'd do such a thing?" Sam asked.

"I have no clue. I mean, he lived the charmed life."

I frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"He was a flat-out genius. I mean, I'm capable, but next to him..." he shook his head. "It wasn't always that way either."

This got Dean's attention. "No?"

"Wanna know the truth? There was a time when he couldn't even design a pup tent. Hell, ten years ago, he's working as a bartender at this place called Lloyd's. Complete dive."

"Right." Sam nodded. "So what changed?"

"You got me. But overnight, he gets this huge commission and he starts designing... He starts designing the most ingenious buildings anyone has ever seen. It was like the level of Van Gogh and Mozart." he stopped himself for a moment then.

"And?" I pressed.

"It's funny. True geniuses, they seem to die young, don't they?" he shook his head. "To have that kind of talent. Why? Why just throw it away?"

...

After visiting Sean's friend, Dean, Sam and I decided to check out the animal shelter to see if they could help us find this black dog. Dean was inside getting the details while Sam and I waited in the car outside.

I was in the backseat- like usual- tapping a beat on my knee absentmindedly, when Sam turned to me.

"So, that guy at the diner. You two gonna hook up?"

"Probably not." I shrugged.

"And why's that?" he asked, a look in his eyes as if he thought there was something going on.

I looked to him curiously. "Why do you suddenly care who I take to bed, Sam? I thought your brother was the jealous one."

He just gave a light chuckle. "Don't worry, we're both just trying to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine." I insisted. "It's not like I needed my two knights in flannel and jeans before."

The term slut did not sit right with me. I'd been called that, and many other things, before. A lot. By tons of people. But I kinda expect it, seeing as I did jump from guy to guy while on the job.

I found it hypocritical seeing as men were allowed to sleep with as many women as they wanted, and they were congratulated on it. Hell, Dean and I had probably slept with the same amount of people during the few weeks I'd been with the guys. No one said anything about that. It's because I was a girl, that's why I was getting attention for it.

I'm not a slut. I'm not a whore. I'm not a tramp. I'm not a tart. I'm not easy. I just enjoy sex. I enjoy having the company of someone I find attractive and interesting. I enjoy the fact I don't have any pressure when it comes to relationships, boyfriends, or commitment. I can sleep with whoever I want, whenever I want.

Being on the road can get lonely, so I spend some free time with people I don't know. Yes, it can be dangerous. But my job involves killing monsters and things that go bump in the night. The day I can't handle a simple man, is the day I'll start to rethink my actions.

The driver's side door opened as Dean got into the car.

"So?" Sam asked expectantly.

"The secretary's name is Carly. She's twenty-three, she kayaks, and they're real." Dean grinned.

"You didn't happen to ask if she'd seen any black dogs lately, did you?" Sam clearly wanted to stay on track, always very focused.

"Every complaint called in this week about anything big, black or dog-like. There's nineteen calls in all." Dean handed Sam the paperwork. "And, uh, I don't know what this thing is." he showed Sam a post-it note.

Sam laughed. "You mean Carly's Myspace address?"

"Myspace, what the hell is that?" Dean was completely confused, hell even I was. But unlike me, Dean instantly thought with the wrong part of his mind. "Seriously, is that like some sort of porn site?"

I leaned forward and hit him across the back of his head.

"Hey!" he spun around to look at me. "What the hell was that for?"

"Shut up and drive, moron." I rolled my eyes and leaned back into the seat again.

**SPOV**

The three of us walked up to the front door of a large, expensive house. As we neared the door, I lifted my fist and knocked on the hard wood.

Dean looked over to Lizzie and me. "I swear, if this is another friggin' Pomeranian barking in the neighbour's yard-" before he could finish, the door opened as a young Asian looking woman opened the door. "Afternoon, ma`am. Animal control." he pulled out a fake badge.

The woman looked confused. "Someone already came yesterday."

"Oh, we're just following up." I explained. "We're looking for a Dr Sylvia Pearlman."

"Do you mind if we come in?" Lizzie asked, a smile on her face. She was all charm when she wanted to be. "I could really use a drink, if you don't mind?"

"Of course." the woman stepped to the side and let us through before leading us towards the kitchen. "The doctor, well, she... I don't know exactly when she'll be back. She left two days ago."

"Okay. And you are?" I asked.

"I'm Ms. Pearlman's maid."

Dean nodded as we entered the kitchen. "So, where did the doctor go?"

"I'm not sure. She just packed and went. She didn't say where." the woman answered as she grabbed a glass of water before handing it over to Lizzie. "That stray dog, did you find it finally?"

"Not yet. But we're still looking." Lizzie smiled again. "You didn't happen to see the dog yourself, did you?"

"Well, no. I never even heard it. I was starting to think the doctor was imagining things. But, she's not like that, so-"

Dean cut her off as he looked to some photos on the fridge. "I read she was a chief surgeon at the hospital? She's gotta be what, forty-two, forty-three? That's pretty young for that job."

"Youngest in history. She got the position ten years ago."

"Huh... An overnight success, ten years ago." I looked over to Dean.

"Yeah, we know a guy like that." he nodded, grabbing one of the photos off the fridge and turning it over. "Oh, look at this. Lloyd's Bar." the name was writing on the back.

Lizzie, place the glass of water on to the bench. "You know, you have been a major help ma`am. If you could give us a call when the Dr comes back, we'd appreciate that." she handed the maid a card. "And thank you so much for the water. It hit the spot." she smiled before turning to Dean and I. "Gentlemen, shall we go?"

**EPOV**

The moment Dean stopped the car by Lloyd's bar, I jumped out.

"Liz, wait up." Dean called.

I ignored him, moving to stand in the middle of the road. A _crossroad_. Yarrow plants lining each corner. People getting what they want and dying ten years later. Big, black dogs been seen by the people dying but by no one else.

"Shit..."

"What's wrong?" Sam asked as the brothers came to stand with me.

"Do you see where we're standing?"

Dean shrugged. "Yeah. In the middle of the road, by a bar."

"No." I shook my head and gestured around us. "Guys, we're at a crossroads. Do you have any idea what that means?" before they could answer I turned and hurried back to the car, moving to the trunk. "Can you open it?" when the brothers just stood there, I tried again. "Just humour me?"

Sighing, Dean did as I asked, unlocking the trunk.

I pulled out the shovel and moved to about the middle of the crossroad and began to dig.

"You want us to-"

I cut Sam off. "No, it's fine. It's not like I haven't dug a hole before."

As I continued to dig, it didn't take long before the tip of the shovel hit something metal in the small hole I'd made. Dropping the shovel, I got to my knees and began to use my hands as I pulled a box out from the ground.

Opening it, I was not surprised by what I found.

Sam and Dean crouched next to me as they looked into the box.

Reaching in, Sam pulled out a small bottle which appeared to be filled with some kind of dirt. "I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt. And a black cat bone." he gestured to the bone in the box.

Dean shook his head. "That's serious spell work. I mean, that's deep south hoodoo stuff."

"Used to summon a demon." Sam added.

"Not just any demon." I closed the box. "Crossroad demons make deals with people. People come here, summon the thing, and then offer their soul up in exchange for whatever they want." I stood up with a sigh. "Guys, they're not seeing any big, black dog. They're seeing hellhounds."

Dean nodded as he stood as well. "Looks like whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady, wherever she's running, she ain't running fast enough."

"So it's just like the Robert Johnson legend, right? Selling your soul at the crossroads kind of deal?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, except that wasn't a legend. You know his music." Dean shrugged as we moved towards the car again. But Sam looked a little unsure. "You don't know Robert Johnson's songs? Sam, there's occult references all over his lyrics. I mean, _Cross Road Blues_ , _Me and the Devil Blues_ , _Hell Hound on My Trail_?"

I nodded, placing myself on the hood on the Impala. "Didn't he die choking on his own blood? Wasn't he was hallucinating and muttering about big, evil dogs?"

Dean looked from me, to Sam and then back to me. "How do you know this and he doesn't? How did you even know so much about crossroads in the first place?"

I looked away from him then. "I've been around for a while now, Dean. I know some stuff." I shrugged. Truth be told, I knew a little too much about crossroad demons. But don't worry, I'd never made a deal myself.

"So, now it's all happening again. The deals." Sam noted, getting back on track. We gotta find out if anyone else struck any bargains here."

"Great. So we gotta clean up these people's mess for them?" Dean didn't sound too enthused by that idea. "I mean, they're not exactly squeaky clean. Nobody put a gun to their head and forced them to play Let's Make a Deal."

"So, what?" Sam shook his head. "We just leave them?"

"Somebody goes over Niagara in a barrel you gonna jump in and try to same them?"

"Dean." Sam looked at his brother shocked.

Sliding off the Impala I stood next to the brothers. "We're doing this." they both looked to me then, surprised.

"You wanna save the people who willingly sold their souls to demons?" Dean shook his head. "I thought for sure you'd be on my side."

"I care about the people they're leaving behind." was all I was willing to say before I moved back to the Impala and got into the back seat, falling silent.

"Fine." Dean sighed. "Rituals like this, you gotta put your own photo into the mix, right? So, this guy probably summoned the thing." he showed Sam and photo he was holding. "I'll go see if anyone inside knows him. If he's still alive." he shrugged before walking off towards the bar.

As Dean walked off Sam came over to my window, leaning in as he looked to me with concern in his eyes. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Sam. I just wanna get this job over and done with." I answered, hoping he wouldn't ask any questions or see through my lies.

"Lizzie, you seem to be taking this personally... Is there something-"

Before he could finish, I cut him off. "Sam, I said I'm fine."

Taking the hint, he nodded and backed away, leaving me to drown in my memories alone.

**SPOV**

Once Dean had gotten the information we needed, the three of us set off to try and find one of the people who could have made a deal with a demon. Lizzie hadn't spoken a word since she'd snapped at me. Dean hadn't paid much attention to it, but I could tell her felt the same me. There was clearly something going on with Lizzie, and it wasn't sitting right with us.

She'd suddenly started to act a little defensive. It was as if this case was now personal.

"What's the guys' name again?" I asked as we headed into an apartment building.

"George Darrow. Apparently quite the regular at Lloyd's." Dean answered as he took in to old, run down looking apartment building's interior. "His house probably ain't up next on _MTW Cribs_ , is it?"

"Yeah." I nodded. The place looked like it was on the verge of collapsing. "So, whatever kind of deal he made..."

"It wasn't for cash." Dean finished.

"There's more to life than money." Lizzie snapped as she pushed past us and headed up the stairs.

"You know what's gotten into her?" Dean asked as we stayed back.

I just shook my head. "No clue."

**Bamby**


	7. Hellhounds on my Trail

**EPOV**

I lifted my fist and knocked on the door to apartment 4C. Looking down at the ground, I noticed the black powder across the threshold as I waited. My brows furrowed in recognition… and annoyance. Deals were not something you mess with. Especially not crossroads deals.

The door suddenly opened. "Who the hell are you?"

Pulling my eyes from the ground to meet his gaze, I spoke carefully, not wanting to spook the guy- he looked about ready to run already. "George Darrow?"

"I'm not buying anything." he said simply, before moving to close the door.

Reacting quickly, I shoved my foot in the way so he couldn't close the door in my face. "I know who you are, and what you did."

The guys caught up then. Both took notice of the black powder before they noticed my foot in the door.

Dean stepped up to my side protectively. "You wanna ease up on that foot? You're gonna crush it." he warned. The old man did as asked, causing Dean to relax a little. "Looks like you went for the wrong shaker. Usually when you wanna keep something evil out, you go for the salt."

"Goofer dust protects against hellhounds." I mumbled to Dean.

He looked to me confused. "How do you know that?"

"How do you know about hellhounds?" the man asked.

Sighing, I turned to George. "My name is Elizabeth Rose Hart. These are my friends, Sam and Dean Winchester. We're here to help. I promise. Just please, give us five minutes."

He didn't move at first. He just looked from Sam and Dean, before looking me up and down. There was a weariness about him. Caution alarms clearly ringing in his mind. This man was not one to dive into something. He knew there were dangers, and he didn't care to dance with them.

But eventually, he deemed us okay, and with a short nod, he left us in.

"So, uh... goofer dust?" Dean asked as we followed George into the apartment.

George shook his head. "You boys think you know something about something but not goofer dust? No wonder you have the girl around." he moved over to a bench in his living-slash-art room, before he threw a small mesh bag to Dean.

"Well, we know a little about a lot of things." Dean told him as he looked into the bag. "Just enough to make us dangerous."

"So, what is it?" Sam asked.

"Hoodoo." George answered. "My grandma taught me. Keeps out demons."

Dean chuckled lightly. "Demons we know."

"Well, then, keep it. Maybe it'll do you some good." George shrugged as he grabbed a bottle of scotch and a glass before moving over to a chair. "You've got four minutes left."

Sam followed him. "Mr Darrow, we know you're in trouble."

"Yeah, that you got yourself into." Dean added.

Sam ignored his brother and went on. "But it's not hopeless, all right? There's gotta be something we can do."

George wasn't having any of it. "Listen. I get that you wanna help. But sometimes a person makes their bed and they just got to lie down in it." he sighed. "I'm the one who called that demon in the first place."

"What did you do it for?" Dean asked.

"I was weak. I mean, who don't wanna be great? Who don't want their life to mean something? I just- I just never thought about the price."

"Was it worth it?" Dean was on a roll.

"Hell no. Of course, I asked for talent. Should have gone for fame." George shook his head. "I'm still broke. And lonely. Just now I got this pile of paintings don't nobody want. But that wasn't the worst..."

When he fell silent, I pushed. "What was the worst?"

"Demon didn't leave. I never counted on that. After our deal was done the damn thing stayed at Lloyd's for a week, just chatting, making more deals. I tried to warn folks, but who's gonna listen to an old drunk?"

Sam didn't miss the important part to George's story. "How many others are there?"

"This architect, a doctor lady. I kept up with them. They been in the papers. At least they got famous."

"Who else, George?" Dean pressed. "Come on, think."

"One more. Uh, nice guy, too. Hudson. Evan, I think." he nodded. "I don't know what he asked for. Don't matter now. We done for."

"No." Sam shook his head. "No, there's gotta be a way."

"You don't get it. I don't want a way."

"Look, you don't have-"

George cut Sam off. "Look, I called that thing. I brought it on myself. I brought it on them. I'm going to hell, one way or another. All I want is to finish my last painting. A day or two, I'm done. I'm just trying to hold 'em off till the end. Buy a little time. Okay. Time you went. Go help somebody that wants help."

I took a step closer to him. "George-"

"Get out!" he snapped. "I got work to do."

"You don't really wanna die." Sam insisted.

"I don't? I'm- I'm tired." was all he said before he turned to his back to us and began to paint.

As I stood there, watching him, confused as to how he could just throw his life away like that, I felt a hand rest on my shoulder.

"Come on, Liz." Dean tried to turn me around. "He doesn't want our help."

I shook my head at George, and without a word, I turned and stormed out of the apartment, once again leaving the guys as I headed for the car.

**DPOV**

Neither Sam or I spoke to Liz once we were in the car, or when we were at the hotel, or when we were driving to Hudson's home. It was clear she didn't want to talk to anyone, and there was no way I was risking pissing her off. I was pretty sure she'd be willing to beat the crap out of anyone who annoyed her at this point.

Getting out of the car, the three of us headed to the front door of the house. Once we reached it, I lifted my fist and knocked, listening for any sound coming from in the house. We weren't sure if the hellhounds had been here yet or not.

The front door opened, revealing a short, blond man. "Yes?"

"Evan Hudson?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." the man nodded.

With that, I stepped up. "You ever been to a bar called Lloyd's? Would've been about ten years ago?"

Suddenly the door was slammed in our faces before Evan locked it.

"Come on, we're not demons." I called to him.

Sam turned to me, shaking his head. "Any other bright ideas?"

Shrugging, I took a step back before kicking at the door, successfully kicking it open. The three of us then rushed inside, moving to follow Evan. Moving down the hall and turning a corner, there were only two doors to a room that were closed, the rest were open. It was a dead giveaway.

Lifting my foot, I went to kick these doors down as well. But Sam stopped me before I could.

"Wait." he shook his head and turned to the doors, turning the unlocked door handle. "Evan?" he called as we walked into the room.

"Please." Evan stepped out from where he'd been hiding by a bookshelf. "Don't hurt me."

"We're not gonna hurt you." Sam assured him. "All right. We're here to help you."

"We know all about the genius deal you made." I explained.

"What? How?"

Sam shrugged. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're trying to stop it."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"We'll, you don't, but you're kinda running low on options there, buddy boy." I noted.

He nodded, looking to each of us, clearly unsure if he should trust us, but he knew I was right. "Can you stop it?"

"Don't know." Sam answered honestly. "We'll try."

"I don't wanna die."

"Of course you don't. Not now."

Liz slapped my arm before she moved forward. "Evan, what did you ask for? What did the demon give you?"

"My wife."

I laughed. "Right. Getting the girl. Well, that's worth a trip to hell for."

"Dean." Sam shook his head. "Stop."

"No. He's right. I made the deal. Nobody twisted my arm. That woman, or whatever she was, at the bar. She said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts at first, but..." he sighed. "I don't know, I was... I was desperate."

"Desperate?" Sam asked.

Evan took a deep breath before he went on. "Julie was dying."

 _Wait..._ "You did it to save her?"

"She had cancer. They stopped treatment, they were moving her into hospice. They kept saying, 'A matter of days'. So, yeah, I made the deal. And I'd do it again. I'd have died for her on the spot."

But it wasn't that easy. At least not to me. "Did you ever thing about her in all of this?"

Evan frowned, confused. "I did this _for_ her."

"You sure about that?" I stepped up to him. "I think you did it for yourself. So you wouldn't have to live without her. But guess what? She's gonna have to live without you now. And what if she knew how much it cost? What if she knew it cost you soul? How do you think she'd feel?"

"That's enough, Dean." Liz stepped in front of me, glaring. But I could see tears in her eyes, threatening to fall. "That's enough." there was a warning in her voice, and tension in her body.

"Uh..." Sam hurried over to us, pushing me back a little. "Lizzie, why don't you stay here with Evan. Dean and I, we're gonna try and figure this out."

I didn't move at first. I was too angry and Evan and all the people making deals. I was too confused and concerned about Liz with the way she was acting. I was too stubborn to give in.

But I knew we didn't have time to waste. I knew the hellhounds would be here any moment, so if we wanted to fix this, we had to act now.

Giving a short nod, I backed up and left the room, Sam right behind me.

"You all right?" he asked once we were out of the room and down the hall a little.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I shrugged harshly, quickly moving on. "I, uh, got an idea." pulling out the goofer dust from the inside pocket of my leather jacket, I handed it to him. "Throw George's hoodoo at the hellhound. Keep it away as long as you can. I'm gonna go to the crossroads, summon the demon."

"Summon the-" Sam shook his head. "Are you nuts?"

"Maybe a little. But I can trap it. I can exorcise it, and I can buy us time to figure out something more permanent."

"Yeah, but how much time?"

"I don't know, a while. It's not easy for those suckers to claw back from hell and into the sunshine."

"No. No way."

"Not allowed to say no, Sammy. Unless you got a better idea."

"Dean, you can forget it, all right. I'm not letting you summon that demon."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like where your head is at right now, that's why not."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, you've been on edge since we found that crossroads, Dean. And I think I know why."

"You know, we don't have time for this." I went to walk off then.

"Dad." the one word had me stop. "You think maybe dad made on of these deal, huh?" as he went on I turned to him again. "Hell, I've been thinking it. I'm sure you've been thinking it too."

From the moment I woke up in the hospital and dad died. After he whispered in my ear to give me a message, as if he knew he didn't have much time. I couldn't shake the feeling. I couldn't stop thinking that he had done the same thing as Evan, George, Sylvia and Sean.

"It fits, doesn't it?" I shrugged cold-heartedly. "I'm alive, dad's dead. Yellow-Eyed Demon was involved. What if he did? What if he struck a deal? My life for his soul?"

"I think I hear it! It's outside!" Evan called.

"Just keep him alive, okay?" I told Sam before I turned and left, not letting him argue or stop me.

...

I buried the box with all the ingredient, at the crossroad. Standing up, I waited, looking around. It wouldn't be long before-

"So, what brings a guy like you to a place like this?" I turned to see a woman in black standing behind me. Long dark hair falling over her shoulders. A smile on her lips. "You called me?"

"I'm just glad it worked." I admitted a little nervously.

"First time?"

"You could say that."

"Oh, come on, now, don't sell yourself short. I know all about you, Dean Winchester." she grinned, her eyes turning red before going back to normal.

"So you know who I am?"

"I get the newsletter."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense. What have you heard?"

"Well, I heard you were handsome... But you're just _edible_." she practically purred. "What can I do for you, Dean?"

"Maybe we should do this in my car." I suggested, nodding to the Impala that sat behind her. "Nice and private."

"Sounds good to me." she agreed before we turned and started for the vehicle.

**SPOV**

Lizzie stood with Evan as I went around spreading George's dust along any entry way, and then in a circle in the middle of the room where Evan stood.

"What is that stuff?" Evan asked as he watched me.

"Goofer dust." I answered.

"You serious?"

"Yeah. Afraid so. Look believe me, don't believe me. Whatever you want. Just whatever you do, stay inside this circle, all right?" I told him as I finished the circle, and the last of the dust. "That's the last of it."

**EPOV**

Evan spun around quickly, looking to the window with panic in his eyes. He was practically terrified, and I honestly didn't blame him. We had no idea what was install for him. He would die, sure. But I had a feeling it wasn't going to be quick and easy.

"What?" Sam asked, confused.

I stepped closer to Evan. "Do you hear something?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Do you?"

"No." I shook my head. "Where? Where's it coming from?"

He spun around again, now looking at the doors. "Right outside the door."

Suddenly something smashed into the door. Sam jumped into the circle, joining Even and I. We couldn't hear the hellhounds, but we could hear the weight against the doors, and it was clear these dogs were big, scary and angry.

"Just don't move, all right?" Sam told Evan. "Stay where you are."

**DPOV**

"So I was hoping we could strike a deal."

"That's what I do." the demon shrugged.

"I want Evan Hudson released from his contract."

"So sorry, darling. That's not negotiable."

"I'll make it worth your while." I insisted.

This caught her attention. "Oh, really? What are you offering?"

"Me." I answered shortly as we reached my car.

She looked shocked at first, and then excited. "Well, well, well. You'd sacrifice your life for someone else's? Like father, like son." she grinned. "You did know about your dad's deal, right? His life for yours? Now, I didn't make the deal myself, but boy, I wish I had."

Trying to keep calm and play it cool, I opened the passenger side door of the car. "After you."

"Suck a gentleman." she smiled as she went to step in, only to freeze as her eyes looked to the ground. "A devil's trap? You've got to be kidding me. You stupid, stupid-" she slammed the door of the car closed. "I should rip you limb from limp."

"Take your best shot." I grinned, backing up.

But instead, she stopped. "No. I don't think so. I'm not gonna put you out of your misery."

I'd been still backing up, bit by bit until I was pressed against the legs of an old elevated water tank. "Yeah? Why not?"

"Because your misery's the whole point." she was grinning again. "It's too much fun to watch." my smile fell at her words. "Knowing how your daddy died for you. How he sold his soul. I mean, that's gotta hurt." she stepped closer to me. "He's all you ever think about. You wake up and you first thought is, 'I can't do this anymore'. You're all lit up with pain. I mean, you loved him so much. And it's all your fault." she laughed. "You blew it, Dean. I could've given you what you need."

"What do I need?"

"Your father. I could have brought him back." she answered. "Your loss." backing up, she gave a short shrug. "See you, Dean. I wish you a nice, _long_ life." with that, she turned and started to walk off.

"Hold on." I called, and after a moment, she paused.

**SPOV**

Out of nowhere, the banging stopped.

"Do you still hear it?" I asked.

"No." Evan shook his head, looking around the room. "Is it over?"

Lizzie was the one to answer, telling him what she honestly thought. There was no reason not to in these circumstances. "Don't think so."

Just like that, the cover of a vent was pushed off before a chair and lamp was thrown out of the way by something neither Lizzie or I could see.

"It's here!" Evan's panicked voice noted.

**DPOV**

"You're lucky I've got a soft spot for lost puppies and long faces." the demon walked to me again as I stood under the water tank. "I just can't leave you like this. Besides, you didn't call me here to bargain for Evan. Not really."

"Can you bring him back? My dad?"

"Of course I can." she smiled charmingly. "Just as he was. Your dad would live a long, natural life, like he was meant to. That's the promise."

"What about me?"

"I could give you ten years. Ten long, good years with him. That's a lifetime. The family can be together again. John, Dean, Sammy. The Winchester boys all reunited. And with your new friend Elizabeth, you'll all have a bunch of fun."

My head snapped in her direction. "How do you know Elizabeth?"

"Oh, I know a lot, Dean. Probably more than you know yourself." she started to walk around the outside of the stand holding up the water tank. "For instance... I know why sweet, sweet Elizabeth became a hunter. After all, it was because of one of us." she grinned. "But that's not my story to tell."

If she was telling the truth... if a crossroads demon is why Liz was a hunter, then that would explain why this case had been making her act the way she was. It would explain a few things, really.

"Look, your dads supposed to be alive. You're supposed to be dead. This will just set things straight." she shrugged, stepping under the tank and closer to me. "Put things back in their natural order. And you get ten extra years on top." she leaned forward and whispered. "That's a bonus."

Nodding, I walked back, moving out from under the tank. "Do you think you could... throw in a set of steak knives?"

She chuckled lightly as she started to follow me. "You know, this smart ass, self-defence mechanism of yours-" she cut herself off short before looking up to see a devil's trap painted on the bottom of the tank. "Dean..." she was not happy.

"Now you're really trapped." it was my turn to grin. "That's gotta hurt."

"Let me out now."

"Sure. We just gotta make a little deal here first." I started to walk around the stand. "You call off your hellhound, and let Evan go. Then I'll let you go."

"I can't break a binding contract." she insisted.

"Hmm." I nodded. "And by, 'can't' you mean, 'don't want to'?" the look she gave me answered the question. "Last chance. Evan and his wife get to live to a ripe, old age. Going, going-"

"Let's talk about this."

"Okay. Gone." I pulled out dad's journal.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, you're just gonna go on a little trip." I answered as I pulled out a rosary. "Way down south."

"Look, forget Evan. Think of your dad." she was desperate now, trying to do anything to get me to stop.

But saving people was all part of the job, and Evan needed saving. So, without hesitating a moment longer, I began to read.

_"Regna terrae, cantate Deo,_

_psallite Domino_

_qui fertis super caelum_

_caeli ad Orientem_

_Ecce dabit voci Suae_

_vocem virtutis,_

_tribuite virtutem Deo._

_Deus caeli, Deus terrae,_

_humiliter majestati gloriae Tuae supplicamus_

_ut ab omni infernalium spirituum potestate,_

_laqueo, deceptione et nequitia,_

_omnis fallaciae, libera nos, Domine._

_Vade, Satana, inventor et magister_

_omnis fallaciae, hostis humanae salutis._

_Humiliare sub potenti manu Dei-"_

"Wait!"

**EPOV**

"Stay inside the circle." Sam kept Evan and I behind him protectively.

I looked down at the ground at the sound of scrapping. There, right before my eyes, I watched as claw marks were scratched into the hard wood floor boards by the invisible hellhound. It stopped right at the edge of the goofer dust.

I felt a breeze blow, making my eyes go wide. "Guys..."

Looking down at the ground, we watched as the goofer dust blew away.

"The circles broken, run!" Sam ordered.

The three of us turned and made a break for the door. Evan was in front of me, Sam behind. I didn't look back. Just kept my eyes on Evan as he ran into a closet. Sam and I rushed in after him, slamming the door and holding it shut as the hellhound pounded against it, trying to get in.

Looking around, I felt myself began to panic as I realized this may be the end.

But just as suddenly as it all started, it all stopped.

Breathing heavily, Sam, Evan and I looked from one another confused. There was no more bounding. By the look on Evan's face, there was no more growling either. The hellhound was gone.

**DPOV**

If someone had told me, an hour ago, that by the end of the night I would have made out with a demon, I would have laughed in their face. Yet here I was, making out with the Crossroads Demon.

She pushed me back before I could register what had just happened.

"What the hell was that for?"

"Sealing the deal." she answered.

"I usually like to be warned before I'm violated with demon tongue." I joked.

"Evan Hudson is free. He and his wife will live long lives."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"My word is my bond."

"Oh, really?"

"It is what I make a deal. It's the rules." she noted. "You got what you wanted. Now let me go."

Stepping back, I looked to the trap and then to her before my eyes fell to the rosary in my hand. I knew I should still exorcise her. I'd be doing the world a favour...

"You're gonna double-cross me?" she chuckled lightly. "Funny, how I'm the trustworthy one." she shook her head. "You know, you renege, send me to hell, sooner or later I'm gonna climb out and skinning Evan Hudson will be the first thing that I do."

I knew she wasn't bluffing. I didn't have a choice. So I put the rosary and journal away before climbing the stand and breaking the tower a little so the trap was damaged. The demon was free to go.

She walked away from the tank, and then turned back to me. "I gotta tell you. You would have never pulled that stunt if you knew."

"Knew what?"

"Where your dad is." she grinned. "You should have made that deal. See, people talk about hell, but it's just a word. It doesn't even come close to describing the real thing."

"Shut your mouth, bitch."

But she just went on. "If you could see your daddy, hear the sounds he makes because he can't even scream."

"How about I send you back?"

She threw her head back and yelled as the black smoke that was the demon, exited the vessel. Leaving the living, breathing human vessel behind and confused as it escaped whatever I might have done to it.

**EPOV**

Sam and I waited on the curb outside of Evan's house. Dean was on his way to pick us up. I wasn't too sure what he'd done, but I knew Evan was alive because of him. He saved him, despite the fact he thought Evan and all the others who had made a deal, made their choice to die.

"Lizzie?"

"Hmm, yeah?" I turned to look at him.

He didn't look at me as he hesitated. Whatever he wanted to say, it was clearly weighing on him. "The deals, the demon, the crossroad... did something happen to you? It's just... you've been acting kinda-"

"Bitchy?" I finished for him.

"Defensive." he corrected.

Hugging myself, I sighed. If I was going to tell them anything, now was a good enough time, and Sam was someone I could trust. "When I was five I ended up in a coma. The machines were the only thing keeping me alive. My mum got desperate. She knew some people, who knew some things…"

Sam nodded, understanding. "She made a deal."

"She used to tell me about the magic man who saved me. It was a bedtime story she told me. All she had to do, was find a crossroad, and bury a box filled with a few special items." tears began to well up in my eyes. "The night the hellhounds came... I found the body."

"Lizzie..." Sam looked to me with sympathy in his eyes. "What happened to the rest of your family?"

Shaking my head, I turned away from him. "I can't. It- It hurts too much..."

His hand rested on my shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay. I get it. You don't have to tell me anything."

…

I sat in the back of the Impala, looking out the window as I listened to the guys. Dean had made a deal with the crossroad demon after he trapped her. He let her go, and she let Evan go. But she'd been so pissed, she'd told him something that had broken both the brother's hearts.

Their father was in hell.

"Demons lie all the time, right? Maybe she was lying." Sam was in denial.

But dean knew the truth. "Come on. Is that really what you think?" there was no reason for the demon to lie, and Dean knew it. "How could he do it?"

"He did it for you."

"Exactly. How am I supposed to live with that?" Dean shook his head. "You know, the thought of him... Wherever he is right now... I mean, he spent his whole life chasing that yellow-eyed son of a bitch. He should have gone out fighting. That was supposed to be his legacy, you know? Not bargaining with the damn thing. Not this."

"How many people do you think dad save? Total?"

"That's not the point, Sam."

"Evan Hudson is safe, because of what dad taught us. That's his legacy, Dean. Now we're still here, man. So we gotta keep going. For him."

I couldn't think. I couldn't or I'd cry. Not because of their father, I didn't know him. No, my tears would be for my mother.

"Hey, Dean?" Sam spoke up again.

"Yeah."

"When you were trapping that demon, you weren't- I mean, it was all a trick, right? You never considered actually making that deal, right?"

Instead of answering, Dean just changed the station on the radio, leaving Sam's question hanging in the air.

**Bamby**


	8. Psychic?

**_Taffyrose_ : Thanks for the review! So happy you like Liz :):)**

**Bamby**

**EPOV**

_Sam is a psychic... Sam, is a psychic... How am I supposed to process this? How does this even happen?_ My head hurt. It had been hurting for a few hours, ever since Dean and I had walked into our hotel room and found Sam on the ground.

He hadn't even hesitated before telling us he'd had a vision.

I freaked out. Dean made sure Sam was okay. Sam told us what his vision was about. I kept freaking out. Sam tried to explain it to me. Dean got protective and warned me not to say a word or he'd kill me. I snapped back at him, while still freaking out.

Eventually we all calmed down and piled into the car though. I still wasn't sure if I wanted to tag along, but I'd gotten slightly attached to the guys, and I knew that I could trust them. Despite this new turn of events.

" _Continue on OR-224 west._ " Sam's phone's GPS spoke.

"There are only two town in the U.S. named Rivergrove." Sam told Dean.

"How come you're so sure it's the one in Oregon?" Dean asked.

"There was a picture of Crater Lake."

"Okay, what else?"

Sam shrugged, explaining the vision for the millionth time. "I saw a dark room, some people and a guy tied to a chair."

"And I ventilated him?" Dean didn't sound too sure about that part, as if it wasn't like him. Which it wasn't. Dean didn't go about killing people randomly.

"Yeah. You thought there was something inside him."

"A demon? Was he possessed?"

"I don't know."

"Well, all your real visions are always tied to the Yellow-Eyed Demon somehow. Was there any black smoke? Did we try to exorcise him?"

"No, nothing. You just plugged him. That's it."

"I'm sure I had a good reason."

"I sure hope so."

"What does that mean?" Dean asked his brother. "I mean, I'm not gonna waste an innocent man. I wouldn't." he insisted.

"I never said you would."

"Fine." Dean nodded.

"Fine. Look, we don't know what it is, but whatever it is, that guy in the chair is part of it. Let's find him, see what's what."

"Fine." Dean repeated.

"Fine." Sam sighed before he turned around to look at me. "You okay, back there?"

I nodded frantically. "Peachy."

Usually I sat behind Sam or in the middle, but for the first time, I was behind Dean. As much as I trusted Sam, I was still a little unsure. My job was to kill things like him. That's what were instincts were telling me to do. But my heart was telling me not to. He was a friend after all.

"You're not scared, are you?" Dean sounded both unsure and amused.

We both knew that if I became a problem, he wouldn't hesitate to stop me. Dean and Sam would always come first when it came to each other. No one got in between the brothers.

I completely understood that. I knew what it was like to have a close bond with a sibling. I knew what it was like to have someone that close to you. Someone who was by your side for every second while growing up.

But Dean and I were friends as well, and the thought of losing him or Sam, because of something like this... I'd lost enough already.

**DPOV**

Sam nudged me as I parked the car. "He was there." he pointed out my window to an African American man sitting outside a bait shop.

"Okay." I nodded, getting out of the car before moving to open Liz's door. As she stepped out, I leaned closer to her. "Sam is not a monster. He's not like the things we hunt. He doesn't want this. So you being scared… well you don't have to be."

She looked over my shoulder at Sam as he got out of the car, before her eyes flicked back to mine. "Are you sure?"

"He's my brother. I know him better than I know myself."

Nodding slowly, she stepped away from the car so I could close the door. "I trust you, Dean. If you say he's good, then he's good. But the moment I think otherwise-"

I cut her off. "I won't let you hurt him."

"And I _can't_ hurt him." she sighed. "I've been thinking about it in the car. You and Sam... you're my friends. Even if I wanted to. I could never hurt you guys." she shrugged. "So I'd just leave."

I never thought hearing those words would affect me the way they did. Liz had been with Sam and I for a little over a month now. We'd bonded and become good friends.

There was a friendship between her and Sam that I didn't quite understand. They shared something I couldn't share with either of them. But at the same time, she and I had a bond that she would never have with Sam.

She was the kind of person who could get along with everyone. She was fun, smart, kind, witty, sarcastic, funny, tough, and bold. She was one of the strongest people I knew emotionally and mentally. She was always ready to do whatever was necessary, no matter what the risks were. She could always put a smile on your face, but she could also be serious when she had to.

The idea of losing someone like her. I didn't think I could let that happen. Sam wasn't a danger. He never would be. She would see that. Then, she'd never have a reason to leave.

"Everything okay?" Sam asked from behind me.

"Yeah." I gave a short nod. "Let's do this."

We walked across the road and headed over to the man. He didn't look up as we stopped a few feet in front of him. He just kept fiddling with a fishing rod.

"Morning." I called to him.

He looked up then. "Morning. Can I help you?"

"Yeah. Ah, Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, Gilligan Stillwater. U.S. Marshals." I nodded to Sam and Liz as I pulled out my fake badge, which they then did as well.

This got the man's attention. "What's this about?"

"We're looking for someone." I answered.

"A young man, early twenties. He'd have a thin scar right below his hairline." Sam described to the man.

"What'd he do?"

"Well, nothing. We're actually looking for someone else. But we think this young man can help us." Sam explained.

Liz nodded. "He's not in trouble, sir." she smiled.

"Well, not yet." I added. But the look the guy gave me made me think I'd said the wrong thing. My eyes landed on his arm, noticing a familiar tattoo sitting on his forearm. I used it to get him back on our side. "I think maybe you know who he is, master Sergeant." his face softened a little, so I shrugged and went on. "My dad was in the Corps. A corporal."

"What company?"

"Echo two-one."

"So can you help us?" Sam asked.

The guy thought it over for a moment before answering. "Duane Tanner's got a scar like that. But I know him. Good kid, keeps his nose clean."

"Oh, I'm sure he does." I nodded. "Do you know where he lives?"

"With his family, up Aspen Way."

"Thank you." Liz smiled again before she turned to Sam and me. "Well, let's go then."

The three of us left the man to get back to work before crossing the road again, looking around for any signs of anything unusual. But honestly, the place just looked like any other small town.

"Hey." Sam called.

Liz and I turned to see him gesturing to a wooden post with a word carved into it.

"'Croatoan'?" I asked.

"Yeah." Sam nodded, but I didn't get it. "Roanoke? Lost colony? Ring a bell? Dean, did you pay any attention in history class?"

"Yeah." I answered, though even I could hear how unsure I sounded. "The shot heard around the world, how bills become laws."

He shook his head at me. "That's not school. That's _School House Rock!_ "

"Roanoke was one of the first English colonies to settle in America during the late 1500s. But when other settlers came to join them, having just come off more recent ships, they found everyone was gone. The only thing left was the word croatoan carved into a single tree."

I turned to Liz, shocked. "How do you know these things?"

"I've picked up a book or two in my life, Dean."

"Anyway." Sam got back to it. "There were theories. Indian raid. Disease. But nobody knows what really happened. They were all just gone. I mean, wiped out overnight."

I laughed lightly. "You don't really think that's what's going on here? I mean..." but his face told me everything I needed to know. He did believe it.

"Whatever I saw in my head, it sure wasn't good." he looked to the carved word again. "But what do you think could do that?"

"Well, I mean, like I said, all your weirdo visions and always tied to the Yellow-Eyed Demon somehow, so..."

"We should get help. Bobby, Ellen, maybe."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." I pulled out my phone, about to dial a number. But I couldn't. "I don't have a signal."

Sam and Liz pulled out their phones. But as they looked to the screens, it was clear they didn't either. This was not normal.

I spotted a public phone a few steps away from Sam. Walking past him, I headed over to it, giving it a try. But there was no point.

"Line's dead." I slammed the phone back into place. "I'll tell you one thing. If I was gonna massacre a town, that'd be my first step." I noted, suddenly not liking this place at all.

**EPOV**

Sam, Dean and I stepped up to the front door the Sergeant directed us to. Opening the screen door, Dean nodded to his brother who then knocked on the wooden one. A moment later, it opened, revealing a young man.

"Yeah?" he asked expectantly.

"Hi." I smiled, showing him my badge. "We're looking for a Duane Tanner. He wouldn't happen to live here, would he?"

The guy nodded. "He's my brother."

"Can we talk to him?" Dean asked.

"He's not here right now."

"You know where he is?"

"Yeah." the guy looked to each of us as he answered. "He went on a fishing trip up by Roslyn Lake."

Sam spoke up then. "Your parents home?"

"Yeah, they're inside."

"Jake, who is it?" a man called from inside the house before appearing in the door way as well.

"Hi. U.S. Marshals, sir. We're looking for your son, Duane." Dean explained

"Why? He's not in trouble, is he?"

"Of course not, sir. We just need to ask him a few routine questions, that's all." I turned my smile to him. "Do you know when he'll be back from his trip?"

"I'm not too sure."

"Well, maybe your wife knows." Sam suggested.

There was something fishy going on here. It hadn't taken me long to figure that out. The way they both stood in the door way, smiling like they were from the _Brady Bunch_ or something. No one is ever that happy. Especially when three strangers are on their porch asking questions about a family member.

Mr Tanner shrugged. "You know, I don't know. She's not here right now."

"Well, your son said she was." Dean noted.

The son looked up then. "Did I?"

"She's getting groceries." Mr Tanner chuckled lightly. "So when Duane gets back, is there a number where he can get a hold of you?"

"Oh, no, we'll just check in with you later." Dean nodded.

"But thank you for all your help." I smiled at them. "You two have a lovely day."

"And you as well." Mr Tanner smiled back at me before he and his son headed back into the house.

Sam, Dean and I turned to leave, walking down the porch steps. We waited until the door was closed before we spoke up.

"Anyone else getting creepy vibes from them?" I asked.

"Yeah." Dean agreed. "Little too Stepford."

Sam nodded. "Bigtime."

"Well, then. Looks like we're not leaving just yet." I turned form the brothers and headed for the side of the house, knowing they'd be right behind me.

We ducked under windows, peeking through to see if we could see anything going on inside. It wasn't until we were at the back of the house, by a window to the kitchen, when we stopped.

Tied and gagged to a chair was a woman I could only assume was Mrs. Tanner. Standing by was Mr Tanner as he cut into his son's arm with a kitchen knife. That was the moment we pulled out our guns.

Dean moved back, stepping to the door before he kicked it down. The three of us hurried in, guns raised.

Mr Tanner ran at us, knife in hand, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Put it down!" Sam warned.

Dean didn't hesitate before he pulled the trigger, and kept going until Mr Tanner was on the ground. The son ran past and out the window before Sam or I had a chance to get him.

Sam ran after him, moving to stand by the window and aim his gun at the kid. Yet he didn't shoot. I couldn't see, so I didn't know if he'd had a chance or not. But then again, maybe he did. Maybe he just didn't take the shot.

I was starting to think Sam really wasn't a danger.

**DPOV**

Sam helped Mrs. Tanner out of the car, while Liz and I headed for the trunk where we'd stashed Mr Tanner's body. The son was gone, but I had a feeling he wouldn't be gone for long. Whatever was going on, was only getting started.

"Wait." Liz move to stand in my way of the trunk. "Show me your hands."

"What? We don't have time for this, Liz."

"Just do it, Winchester." she snapped, grabbing my hands before taking a look at them. As she continued to talk I found my focus divided between her voice, and her gentle hands against my rough ones. "I'm working on a theory. Mr Tanner cut the son, who didn't fight back. There might be something in their blood, and the last thing we need is for it to get in your stream."

I looked down at her confused and amazed. "Who are you?"

A small smile played on her lips as she reached up to check my neck as well. "Just a girl, Dean. I'm just a girl."

But she wasn't just a girl. She was more than that, and it left me curious.

"Okay, you're clean." she nodded, taking a step back as she gestured to the body. "Carry on."

Not needing to be told twice, I reached into the trunk and pulled the wrapped body over my shoulders as Liz kept watch. Once it was secure and I was sure it wouldn't fall, we headed into the building where Sam and Mr Tanner disappeared to. The doctor's.

Liz held the door open for me. Once I stepped inside she walked ahead and into the waiting room. "Hello?" she called.

A middle aged, blonde woman came around the corner, her eyes landing on me right away. "Is that-"

"Mr Tanner?" I shifted the weight of the body, causing a hand to fall out from underneath the blanket. "Yeah."

"Was he attacked too?"

"Uh..." my eyes flicked to Liz as I decided to tell the truth. "No, actually, he did the attacking and then he got himself shot."

"Shot?" the woman's eyes went wide.

"Yeah." Liz nodded.

"And who are you two?"

"U.S. Marshals." Liz pulled out her badge. "Do you have somewhere my partner can put the body?"

"Yes. Uh, bring him back here." the woman nodded. "I'm Dr Lee, by the way." she introduced herself as she led us further into the building.

"Dean and Elizabeth." I didn't have time for fake names and the usual bullshit. Right now, there were more pressing issues we had to deal with.

**EPOV**

Sam, Dean and I stood by the door as we watched Dr Lee work on patching up Mrs. Tanner. We didn't say anything as we all listened to Mrs. Tanner tell us what happened. Dean, Sam and I knew better than to speak.

We didn't even know what was going on. It's not like we could actually offer much help at this point.

"Wait, you said Jake helped him?" Dr Lee asked Mrs. Tanner. "Your son Jake?"

Mrs. Tanner nodded. "They beat me. Tied me up." she cried.

"I don't believe it." the doctor's assistant spoke from the corner.

"Pam." Dr Lee shook her head at her, then turned back to Mrs. Tanner. "Beverly, you've any idea why they would act this way? Any history of chemical dependency?"

"No, of course not. I don't know why. One minute, they were my husband and my son... And then the next, they had the devil in them."

Dean turned to Sam and me. "We gotta talk." he told us before walking out of the room.

Sam and I were right behind him, moving to the waiting room while the others stayed where they were.

"Those guys were whacked out of their gourds." Dean noted as he came to a stop and turned to us again.

"What so you think? Multiple demons, mass possession?" Sam suggested.

Dean shrugged. "If it is a possession, there could be more. God knows how many. It could be like a frigging Shriner convention." he nodded at me. "You seen anything like this?"

"No." I shook my head. "I mean, the closest I've come to seeing something like this, is when dealing with demons. But there was no smoke when Mr Tanner died. No signs of possession other than the craziness."

"Well, that's one way to take out a town." Dean noted. "Take it from the inside. Something must have turned them into monsters." he looked to Sam. "You know, if you'd taken out the other one, there'd be one less to worry about."

I stepped back then. This was not something I was getting into.

"I'm sorry, all right?" Sam told him. "I hesitated, Dean. It was a kid."

"No, it was an it. Not the best time for a bleeding heart, Sam."

The sound of heels on the ground had us all turn to see Dr Lee walk into the room and towards us.

I stepped up to her, speaking before one of the guys could. "How is she?"

"Terrible." she answered honestly. "What the hell happened?"

There was no other answer I could give her other than the truth. "We're not sure."

"Yeah, well, you just killed my next-door neighbour."

"We didn't have a choice." Dean insisted, standing closer to me, a defensive and protective tone in his voice.

"Maybe so, but we need the county sheriff. I need the coroner."

"Phones are down." Sam noted.

She sighed. "I know, I tried. Tell me you got a police radio in the car."

"We do. But it crapped out just like everything else." Sam was right, we'd tried it on the way here.

The doctor looked to the ground, shaking her head. "I don't understand what is happening."

"How far is it to the next town?" Dean asked her.

"It about forty miles down to Sidewinder."

"All right. I'm gonna go there and see if I can find some help. My partners will stick around, keep you guys safe."

But instead of agreeing, I turned to Dean. "I'm going with you."

He looked from me, to the doctor and then back to me. "Can I talk to you in private for a minute?" he asked. But before I could answer, he grabbed my arm and walked us away from the others so we could talk without being heard. "This better not be about Sam."

"No. It's about you." I pulled my arm from him as we stopped. "We don't know what's out there. I'm not letting you go off alone. Everyone needs back up right now."

He searched my eyes, frowning as if he wasn't sure if he should listen to me or not. But we both knew I would end up doing what I wanted anyway. There was no point in fighting it.

"Fine, okay." sighing, he gave a short nod. "Sam, we'll be back." he called before we headed for the exit and walked out into the street.

I could feel a thickness in the air the moment we were out in the open. Whatever was changing, had already begun.

**DPOV**

I stopped the car behind an abandoned car on the side of the road. From where we were parked, we could see blood on the back window of the car in front of us.

"Stay in the car."

"Hell no." Liz pulled out her gun from the back of her pants.

Shaking my head, not bothering to argue, I stepped out of the car and headed for the trunk while she slid over and got out through my door as well, watching out surroundings. I grabbed a shotgun and closed the trunk before moving to stand with her again.

The two of us moved carefully and cautiously.

A baby seat sat in the back, soaked in blood. The front seats were covered in blood as well. The front window had been shot at. Both the driver's and passenger's window had been smashed in. But there were no people.

My eyes fell to the ground where a bloody knife lay.

"Dean..." Liz looked into the car at the baby seat. "You don't think..."

I stepped closer to her, pressing my hand to her back as I turned us to the Impala. "You stay close to me, okay? No matter what."

All she did was nod as we got back into the car and drove off.

**SPOV**

I was with the doctor as she checked out a sample of Mr Tanner's blood under a microscope. Her assistant was keeping an eye on Mrs. Tanner, trying to keep the woman calm as we waited for Dean and Lizzie to get back.

"Huh..."

I turned to Dr Lee. "What?"

"His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high. His body was fighting off a viral infection."

"Really?" What kind of virus?"

"Can't say for sure."

"Do you think an infection could've made him act like that?"

"None that I've ever heard of. I mean, some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood."

That didn't sound promising... "Did what?"

"There's this weird residue. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was sulphur."

Yeah, that is definitely not good.

**EPOV**

Dean rounded the corner, coming up to a bridge. But he had to stop. Blocking the road were several vehicles, and armed men. None of them moved. They didn't do anything actually. They just stood there, watching us.

At the front of the group was Jake Tanner, grinning at us smugly.

I shook my head. "This is not good..."

A loud bang made me jump as a man hit the roof of the Impala before he leaned down by Dean's door, looking in though the open window at us.

Dean chuckled lightly. "Hey."

"Sorry, road's closed." the man told us, voice flat and emotionless.

"Yeah, I can see that." Dean nodded. "What's up?"

"Quarantine."

"Quarantine?" Dean asked. "What is it?"

The man shrugged. "Don't know. Something going around out there."

"Uh-huh. Who told you that?"

"County sheriff."

"Is he here?"

"No. He called." there was a smugness about the man. As if he knew we knew the truth, but none of us were willing to bite first. "Say, why don't you get out of the car and we'll talk a little?" he asked.

Just then, another man appeared by my window.

I tensed and moved a little closer to Dean, who chuckled at the man by his window. "Oh, you're a couple of handsome devils, but I don't swing that way, and she's taken." he wrapped his arm around my shoulders then. "Sorry." he shrugged.

The man by Dean smiled. "I'd sure appreciate it if you got out of the car, just for a quick minute."

"Yeah, I bet you would." Dean's arm moved from behind me as he shifted in his seat a little.

Suddenly he reached for the gear stick and put the car in reverse. But as the Impala moved, the two men reached in and grabbed us. I was smaller and weaker than the man holding me, so before long, he almost had me out of the window.

Dean spun the car around, which caused both guys to lose their grip and let us go. I grabbed onto whatever I could and pulled myself back before the force could take me out of the car with the men. As they dropped to the ground the people at the bridge started shooting at us, but we were gone before any bullets did any damage.

"You okay?" Dean asked, looking from the road to me and then back, a panic in his voice.

"Yeah... I guess." I nodded, out of breath. I was shaking, slightly in shock. "I hope."

"Hey. Hey, Liz." he wrapped an arm around me, causing me to turn and look up at him. "We're gonna be okay. You hear me? We're gonna get out of this." he assured me as he continued to drive.

Nodding, I slid closer to him, still shaking as I wondered if he really believed what he was saying, or if he was just trying to make me feel better...

**SPOV**

"I don't understand." Mrs. Tanner shook her head. "Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?"

"That's what we're trying to find out." Dr Lee nodded. "Now, during the attack, do you remember, did you have any direct contact with their blood?"

"Oh, my God. You don't think I've got this virus, do you?"

Dr Lee sighed. "Beverly, I don't know what to think. But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample."

Mrs. Tanner thought it over for a moment, before nodding. She reached over and rested a hand on the doctor's as if she were agreeing.

Before anyone realized what was happening, Mrs. Tanner grabbed a hold of Dr Lee's wrist and yelled out as she backed handed her with her free hand. She then turned to me as I run for her. With a strong push, she practically threw me across the room and into a cabinet.

She grabbed a scalpel next, and started to run towards me, yelling once more.

I acted quickly, picking up a bottle of some kind of gas or something, which I then hit her across the head with. She fell to the ground, knocked out.

**DPOV**

I kept looking from the road, to Liz. I was worried. About her and Sammy. About the town. About myself. About everything. I'd never seen anything like this before, and it was freaking me out. How could a whole town go violently insane like this?

Liz tensed next to me. "Dean, look out!"

I turned back to the road. Standing in front of the car, rifle raised at us, was the Sergeant from earlier.

Hitting the brakes, I stopped right before I would have hit him.

"Hands where I can see them!" he ordered.

"Son of a-" _This cannot be happening_.

"Get out of the car!"

In the corner of my eye I could see Liz's grip on her gun tightening. "Dean..."

"Stay in the car." I told her and this time it wasn't negotiable. Doing as the Sergeant said, I started to get out of the car, my hands raised. "All right, easy there, big guy."

"Her too." he nodded to Liz.

While he was looking at her, I quickly pulled out my own gun and aimed it at him. "Put it down! Down!" I yelled.

"Lower it now!" he warned. "Are you two like them?"

"No, you?"

"No."

"You could be lying."

"So could you."

"Shut up!" Liz snapped, causing both me and the Sergeant to turn to her. "All you two are doing is drawing those bastards here. So shut up, and get in the car or get the hell out of here."

"She's right." I nodded- though kept my gun raised. "We could do this all day. Let's just take it easy before we kill each other."

He didn't move at first, but eventually he relaxed a little. "What's going on with everybody?"

"We don't know." I answered honestly.

The Sergeant shook his head. "My neighbour, Mr Rogers-"

"You got a neighbour named Mr Rogers?"

"Not anymore." he shook his head again. "He came at me with a hatchet. I put him down. He's not the only one. It's happening to everyone."

"I'm heading to doc's place. There's still some people left."

"No way. I'm getting out."

"There is no way out. They got the bridge covered. Now come on."

"I don't believe you."

"Fine, stay here." I shrugged as I started to get back in the car. "Be my guest."

The moment I closed the door, he lowered his rifle and pulled out a handgun as he started for the passenger side door.

"Liz, move closer to me." I told her as I pulled her closer. "You watch him. Keep your gun aimed at him. The moment he does something you don't like, you shoot him and you don't stop until he's dead. You got it?" I murmured in her ear as she leaned against me, turning slightly so she could do as I said.

"Got it." she nodded.

The Sergeant got in the car then, facing us as much as he could, his gun pointing in our direction. Liz stayed where she was, keeping her eyes on him just like I'd told her to.

"Well, this ought to be a relaxing drive." I muttered before driving off.

**Bamby**


	9. Infected

**SPOV**

"What if we all have it?" Pam- the assistant- asked. She was clearly in shock. "What if we all go crazy?"

"You've gotta stay calm." Dr Lee told her. "All we can do is wait. The marshals are bringing help."

But it seemed there was no getting through to Pam. "I can't, I... No, I've got to go." she started for the door that lead into the waiting room.

"Pam." Dr Lee called after her.

"No, you don't understand." Pam turned to her. "My boyfriend's out there. I gotta make sure he's okay." she said before leaving.

I stood, following right behind her. We couldn't afford to lose any more people. If she left, she was gone, and I couldn't have that.

"Hey, hey, wait. Wait, please." I hurried to catch her. She stopped and turned, giving me the chance to speak. "Look, I know you're upset, all right? But it's safer if you stay here for now. Help is coming." I assured her just before we could hear the sound of the Impala outside. "There they are."

"Sammy! Open up!"

I walked over to the door just as Dean, Lizzie and the Sergeant stepped up to is. Unlocking the door, I held it open for each of them before closing and locking the door again.

"Did you guys get to a phone?" I asked as I turned to my brother and friend.

"Roadblock." was all Dean said before nodding to the Sergeant as he gestured to Lizzie, me and himself. "We're gonna have a word. Doc's inside."

"All right." the Sergeant nodded back to him before walking off to find the others.

Once he was gone I turned to Lizzie and Dean. "What's going on out there?"

"We don't know." Dean was clearly frustrated and annoyed by the whole thing. "I feel like Chuck Heston in _The Omega Man_. The sarge is the only sane person we could find. What are we dealing with? You know?"

"Yeah, doc thinks it's a virus." I explained.

Dean looked surprised as he turned to look at Lizzie. "Like you said before...? This can't be real."

I wasn't sure what Lizzie had said to him earlier, but from what I'd seen so far, I believed it was real. "I think the doc's right."

"Really?" Dean looked more surprised.

"Yeah." I nodded. "And I think the infected are trying to infect others with blood-to-blood contact. Oh, but it gets better. The virus leaves traces of sulfur in the blood."

"You have got to be shitting me." Lizzie stepped back, shaking her head as she sighed. "A demonic virus?"

"Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare." I noted. "At least it explains why I've been having visions."

"It's like a Biblical plague." Dean muttered.

"Yeah. You don't know how right you are, Dean. I've been pouring through dad's journal. Found something about the Roanoke colony."

"And?" he pressed for more.

"Dad had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name, known as Dever or sometimes Reshef. A demon of plague and pestilence."

"Well, that's terrific." he smiled lightly, being sarcastic. "Why here? Why now?"

"I have no idea." I shrugged. "But, I mean, who knows how far this thing can spread. We gotta get out of here. We gotta warn people."

"They got one. In here." the Sergeant called.

This got Dean's and Lizzie's attention in an instant. They turned and started for the sarge, meeting him in the waiting room as I followed them.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"The wife." I answered. "She's infected."

"We gotta take care of this. We can't leave her in there. My neighbours, they were strong." the Sergeant told us. "The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get."

Dean pulled out his gun without a second to waste before he walked past us all, headed for the storage closet we'd locked Mrs. Tanner in.

"You're gonna _kill_ Beverly Tanner?" Pam asked, disgusted.

Before we did anything rash, I needed to know this was our only option. "Doctor, could there be any kind of treatment? Some kind of cure for this?"

"Can you cure it?" Dean pressed.

"I don't even know what _it_ is." the doctor was terrified. The weight of someone's life was on her shoulders. But if we didn't kill her because of something the doc said, then the rest of us could die.

"I told you, it's a matter of time before she breaks through." the Sarge wanted this done now.

"Just leave her in there." Pam pleaded. "You can't shoot her like an animal."

Dean didn't listen though. "Sam, Liz." he nodded to us before he moved to the storage room door.

Lizzie and I followed him. As much as I didn't really want to do this, I could see we didn't have any other choice. So once the Sarge and Dean had their guns ready, I reached for the storage room door handle, unlocked it, and pushed the door open. All the while, Lizzie pulled out her own gun and took a step back just in case.

Dean and the Sergeant stepped into the room, guns aimed at Mrs. Tanner as she sat in the corner, her knees to her chest, tears running down her face.

"Mark." she looked up at the sarge. "What are you doing? Mark, it's them. They locked me in here. They tried to kill me." she cried. "They're infected, not me. Please, Mark. You've known me all your life. Please."

"You're sure she's one of them?" Dean asked me, needing confirmation.

I nodded. "Yeah."

Just like that, he stepped further into the room and shot the woman, pulling the trigger three times.

**DPOV**

The sound of glass shattering had Sam, Liz, the Sarge and I hurry to the back room where the doc and Pam were. Dr Lee was checking over a panicking Pam who seemed to have dropped some test tubes of Mrs. Tanner's blood.

"Oh, God. Is there any on me? Am I okay?"

"You're clean." Dr Lee assured her. "You're okay."

"Why are we staying here?" Pam turned to Sam, Liz and me. "Please, let's just go."

"No, we can't, because those things are everywhere." I thought that was pretty obvious, but this chick just wasn't getting it.

"She's right about one thing." Sam started, speaking lowly so Pam and the doc couldn't hear us. "We can't stay here. We gotta get out to the roadhouse or somewhere. Let people know what's coming."

"That's a good point." I nodded. " _Night of the Living Dead_ didn't exactly end pretty."

"I'm not sure we got a choice. Lots of folks up here are good with rifles." the Sarge noted. "Even with all your hardware, we're easy targets. So, unless you got some explosives..."

He was right too. The moment we stepped outside, if we didn't have the proper cover, we we'd be goners. There were too many of us to protect, and too many places for people to be hiding.

"We could make some." Sam suggested, looking to a cabinet behind me. Walking past, he headed over and grabbed a bottle of potassium chlorate off the top shelf.

"Hey! Let me in! Let me in, please!" someone called as they pounded on the front door of the building.

All of us hurried out to see who it could be, and if they were a threat or not.

"It's Duane Tanner." Sarge told us as he moved to let him inside.

"Oh, thank God." Duane let out a breath of relief once he was inside and safe.

After locking the door again, Sarge showed Duane around through to the waiting room, the two of them passing Sam, Liz and I on the way.

"That's the guy that I..." I made a motion to signal cutting a throat.

Sam nodded. "Yeah."

If I killed him in his vision, there must be a good reason. Considering the situation, I was beginning to see what the problem must be. So without waiting a moment longer, I stepped up to Duane.

He was looking from face to face. "Who else is in here?"

"Hey, whoa, whoa, easy there, chief." I grabbed his arm before he could go any further. "Hey, doc, give Duane a good once-over, would you?" I told her as I pulled Duane to the back room.

"Who are you?" he asked me as all of us headed into the doc's room.

"Never mind who I am. Doc?"

"Yeah, okay." she nodded, knowing what to do.

"Duane, where you been?" Sarge asked.

"I was on a fishing trip by Roslyn. I came back this afternoon. I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know. They started cutting him with knives. I ran. I've been hiding in the woods ever since. Has anybody seen my mum and dad?"

"Awkward..." I muttered, earning a slight nudge from Liz.

The doc moved to check over Duane, back came to a stop as she stood in front of him. Leaning down, she checked out his leg. "You're bleeding."

Everyone backed up a little.

But I stepped forward. "Where'd you get that?"

"I was running. I must've tripped."

I didn't trust him. I didn't trust anything at this point. "Tie him up." I told the sarge. "There's rope in there." I nodded to one of Sam's and my bags we'd brought in.

Duane stood up. "Wait-"

I pulled out my gun in an instant. "Sit down!"

"Sorry, Duane. He's right. We gotta be careful." the Sarge explained before he moved to grab a chair.

"Careful? About what?"

"Did they bleed on you?" I asked.

"No. What the hell? No!"

"Doc? Any way to know for sure?" Sam was always the one needing to know all the options. "Any test?"

"I've studied Beverly's blood work backwards and forward." the doc answered.

"My mum?"

She ignored Duane and went on. "It took three hours for the virus to incubate. The sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then. So, no, there'd be no way of knowing. Not until _after_ Duane turns."

"Dean, I gotta talk to you. Now." Sam told me before walking out of the room.

I turned to Liz. "You watch him. He does anything you don't like-"

She pulled out her own gun. "Shoot until he's dead." raising her gun, she aimed it at Duane, a focused look in her eyes. "I got it."

"Good." I nodded before following Sam out of the room and into another.

"This is my vision, Dean. It's happening."

"Yeah, I figured."

"You can't kill him. Not yet. We don't know if he's infected of not."

"Oh, I think we're pretty damn sure." I argued. "Guy shows up out of nowhere. Got a cut, his whole family's infected."

"All right, we should keep him tied up and wait and see."

"For what? For him to hulk out? Infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance." I told him before moving to leave. He pressed a hand to my chest to stop me. I shrugged at him. "Hey, look man, I'm not happy about this. It's a tough job. You know that."

"It's supposed to be tough, Dean. We're supposed to struggle with this. That's the point."

"What does that buy us?"

"A clear conscience, for one."

"Well, it's too late for that."

"What the hell's happened to you?"

"What?"

"You might kill an innocent man and you don't even care. You don't act like yourself anymore, Dean. You know what? You're acting like one of those things out there."

Having heard enough, I went to leave again. This time when he tried to stop me, I grabbed his arm and pushed him across the room before leaving, and locking him in there.

"Hey." he rushed to the door, trying to open it. "Open the damn door. Dean." he called after me as I walked away. "Don't do it, Dean! Don't."

I pulled out my gun, checked to see how many bullets I had, and then walked back into the room with everyone else, closing the door behind me. Duane's eyes fell straight to my gun as I stepped up to stand next to Liz.

"No, no, no." Duane shook his head, terrified. "You're not gonna..." but the look in my eyes told him everything he needed to know. "No, no, I swear, it's not in me."

"Oh, God." Pam stepped back. "We're all gonna die."

Sarge turned to me. "Maybe he's telling the truth."

I shook my head. "No, he's not him, not anymore."

"Stop, stop it!" Duane gestured to the doc. "Ask her. Ask the doctor. It's not in me!"

Dr Lee looked from me, to Duane and then back. "I can't tell."

"Please, don't." Duane begged. "Don't, please. I swear, it's not in me. It's not in me, I swear. I swear, it's not in me." he cried. "Don't. Don't."

Raising my gun, I aimed it at his head. "I got no choice."

Finger on the trigger, I had every intention on shooting him. I knew it was what I should do. Taking chances hardly ever worked in my line of work. You shoot first, ask questions later. You deal with the problem before it got out of control.

But as Duane continued to cry, Pam and Dr Lee looked scared, Sarge was clearly unsure, and Liz continued to stand next to me with her gun now lowered... I just couldn't do it.

"Damn it." I lowered my gun, turned around and left the room.

**EPOV**

Standing with Dean and Sam, the three of us stood in silence as we made explosives out of whatever we could use and find in the building.

"It's been over four hours." Dr Lee walked into the room. "Duane's blood is still clean. I don't think he's infected. I'd like to untie him, if that's all right."

Dean didn't answer. He just looked away and got back to work. Sam was the one to speak.

"Sure, yeah." he nodded. Once the doctor was gone, he looked over at his brother. "You know I'm gonna ask you why."

Dean didn't stop working as he responded. "Yeah, I know."

"So, why?" Sam asked. "Why didn't you do it?"

I'd been there. I'd been standing right next to Dean. Seeing him ready to shoot the guy had scared and worried me a little.

If Duane had made a move, I would have shot him. He wouldn't have been a person, so I would have shot him. But until then, I wasn't going to do a thing. Not until I was sure. Yet Dean had walked into the room- without Sam- with the full intention of shooting someone just to be safe.

Knowing he was willing to do that for others eased my mind. But only a little.

Knowing he was willing to kill people without asking questions increased my worry. But my worry was _for_ him, not because of him. Being able to do that must have done something to his mental health.

Not that I thought he was crazy. I was just concerned about him. He was my friend, and the last thing I wanted was for him to have to carry around a weight like murder. He was a good man, and better than that.

Ignoring Sam question, Dean cleared his throat. "We need more alcohol."

Seeing that Dean wasn't going to answer, Sam sighed and walked off to go get what we need.

The moment he was gone, I put everything down and turned to Dean. "I know it didn't feel like it at the time, but you did the right thing." I rested a hand on his arm. "And because of that, Duane has a chance to get out of this alive. In my eyes, that pretty much makes you a hero."

He stopped working but didn't look to me. "I was going to kill him, Liz." he argued.

"But you didn't." I shrugged. Without over thinking it, I leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. "I'll always remember that." I whispered in his ear.

His head turned to look at me then, our lips barely an inch apart. Our eyes locked, and I felt my cheeks redden as I thought about kissing him.

It wasn't the first time I'd thought about it. Hell, I'd thought about doing a lot more than just kissing him. Dean was attractive, funny, strong, great at his job, caring. He had a bit of a bad-boy attitude about him, but he was also one of the kindest people I'd ever met. He was everything a girl could want...

The sound of scream coming from the supply room had both of us turn to see the door now closed. We could hear Pam and Sam inside, struggling.

Pulling away from each other, we hurried to the door, pulling out our guns as we looked through the small window a saw Pam straddling Sam, holding him down. Sarge came to stand behind us, his gun out as well.

"Break the door down!" I yelled.

Sarge and I stepped back as Dean got in position before he kicked the door in, opening it. I stepped inside in an instant, both Dean and I shooting at Pam until she was on the ground unmoving.

"Sam." I went to step forward, Dean right there beside me.

But Sarge stopped us before we could finish taking a second step. "She bled on him." he told us. "He's got the virus."

**DPOV**

"Doctor, check on his wound again, would you?" I asked. When no one moved, I looked up at the doc. "Doctor!"

"What does she need to examine him for?" Sarge shook his head. "You saw what happened."

Dr Lee stepped up to Sam as he sat on an examining table. "Did her blood actually enter your wound?"

"Come on, of course it did!" Sarge snapped.

"We don't know that for sure!" Liz barked back at him. She'd come a long way from being scared of Sam this morning, to backing him up now.

"We can't take a chance." Duane argued.

"You know what we have to do." Sarge shrugged.

But there was no way anyone was doing anything to Sam. "Nobody is shooting my brother."

"He's not gonna be your brother much longer. You said it yourself." Duane wasn't letting it go.

"Nobody's shooting anyone!" I yelled.

"You were gonna shoot me!"

I stepped closer to Duane. "You don't shut your pie hole, I might." the only thing that stopped me from doing it then and there, was Liz's hand as she pressed it against my chest to keep me back.

"Dean, they're right." Sam spoke up for the first time. "I'm infected. Just give me the gun and I'll do it myself."

I shook my head. "Forget it."

Sam looked to me. "Dean, I'm not gonna become one of those things."

"Sam, we've still got some time-"

"Time for what?" Sarge interrupted me. "Look, I understand he's your brother, and I'm sorry, I am. But I gotta take care of this." he pulled out his gun.

"I'm gonna say this one time. You make a move on him, you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me?" I warned. "I mean, do I make myself clear?"

"Then what are we supposed to do?!"

I looked to Sam again, before looking to everyone else. Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed my keys and handed them to Liz. "Get them out of here. Take my car. You got the explosives. There's an arsenal in there. You got enough firepower to handle anything now."

She shook her head. "Dean, I'm not leaving you two."

"Get them to safety." I nodded to the others as I spoke to her. "You deal with this. Get help if you can't stop it. Then go to the Roadhouse. Go back home... We've got it here."

"Dean, no, no." Sam clearly didn't like my decision. "Go with them. This is your only chance."

But I'd made up my mind. If Sam was going out, I was going out too. "You're not gonna get rid of me that easy."

"No, he's right, man." Sarge stepped towards me. "Come with us." but when I didn't say anything, he didn't try again. "Okay, it's your funeral. Come on." he nudged Liz before walking out with Duane and the doc right behind him.

Liz didn't move at first. She just looked down at the keys to the Impala, unmoving and silent. Then she turned for Sam and threw her arms around him in and tight hug. "I'm sorry." her voice shook as she spoke. Pulling back, she turned to me, I could see tears in her eyes. "If you make it out-"

I cut her off. "I won't."

Sighing, she stepped closer to me. "I won't forget what you did here today, Dean." reaching up on her toes, she pressed a kiss to my cheek, lingering for a moment longer before she stepped back and walked out. She didn't even turn around once.

Stepping up to the door once she was gone, I closed and locked it.

"Wish we had a deck of cards or a foosball table or something." I joked, moving to take a seat across from Sam.

"Dean, don't do this. Just get the hell out of here."

I didn't even have to think about my response. "No way."

"Give me my gun and leave."

"For the last time, Sam, no."

He slammed the icepack he'd been pressing against his wound, on to the table next to him. "This is the dumbest thing you've ever done."

"I don't know about that. Remember that waitress in Tampa?" I shivered at the memory.

"Dean, I'm sick." a tear rolled down his cheek as he spoke. "It's over for me. It doesn't have to be for you."

"No?"

I wasn't going to just leave him here. I wasn't going to let him go through this on his own. I'd always been there for him when we were growing up. I took care of him, it was my job. He was my baby brother and I loved him. If he was going down, then so was I.

"No, you could keep going."

"Who says I want to?"

"What?"

"I'm tired, Sam." I chuckled lightly, trying to soften the tension in the room. "I'm tired of this job. This life. This weight on my shoulders. Man, I'm tired of it."

"So, what?" So you're just gonna give up? I mean, you're just gonna lay down and die? Look, Dean, I know the stuff with dad had-"

"Your wrong." I cut him off. "It's not about dad. I mean, part of it is, sure-"

"Then what is it about?"

The sound of a door opening and closing shut us both up as I pulled out my gun, ready for anything. But as we looked to the window in the door, we saw Liz standing there as she knocked.

Sighing, I unlocked and opened the door for her. "I thought I told you-"

She stopped me there. "Shut up and come with me. Both of you." she told us before turning around and walking off.

Sam and I shared a quick glance at each other before we followed her out of the building. The others were standing on the sidewalk, watching our surroundings, with confused looks on their faces.

"There's no one." Liz shrugged. "Everyone just... disappeared."

As I looked around, seeing she was right, I found my eyes landing on the pole Sam, Liz and I had been looking at earlier. The work Croatoan still sat there, just like it had in that village all those years ago.

**SPOV**

"Well, it's been five hours and your blood's still clean." Dr Lee informed me. "I don't understand it, but I think you dodged a bullet."

I frowned, confused. "But I was exposed. How could I not be infected?"

"I don't know, but you're just not. I mean, when you compare it with the Tanner's samples..." she turned to the microscope again, only to freeze. "What the hell?"

That didn't sound good. "What?"

She shook her head. "Their blood. There's no trace of the virus. No sulphur, nothing."

Hearing that, it didn't ease my mind at all.

**EPOV**

"Doc, the Sarge and I are getting the hell out of here, heading south." Duane told Dr Lee as he and Sarge piled some stuff into the back of a pickup. "You should come."

"I'd better get over to Sidewinder." she shrugged. "Get the authorities up here, if they'll believe me."

I told her and the others when we'd left Sam and Dean, that we were actually marshals... They hadn't minded, but it meant we couldn't help with the cops or anything.

Sarge nodded to her before he got in the pickup with Duane, the two of them driving off.

"What about him?" Dean gestured to Sam, the three of us leaning against the Impala.

"He's gonna be fine." she assured him. "No signs of infection." was all she said before she offered a light smile and headed back into the building.

But despite all the smiles and waves goodbye, I wasn't feeling too good about the whole situation. There were too many unanswered questions, too many mysteries...

Dean turned to Sam, who shrugged. "Hey, man, don't look at me. I got no clue."

"I swear, I'm gonna lose sleep over this one." Dean shook his head, moving around to the driver's side. "I mean, why here? Why now? Where the hell did everybody go? It's not like they just frigging melted."

"And why was I immune?" Sam added.

"Yeah." Dean nodded. "You know what? That's a good question. You know, I'm already starting to feel like this is the one that got away." he opened his door before stopping. "Liz, keys."

Sighing, I walked around, holding the keys in my hand. "Can't I drive?"

He didn't even think about it. "No. Keys. Now."

Rolling my eyes, I handed them over as I walked past him, purposefully moving too close to him. "You're no fun." I pouted before I got in and waited for him to do the same.

**DPOV**

Liz was asleep in the back of the car. I found it odd how she could sleep anywhere and at any time. Sam and I didn't like the idea of her getting her own hotel room whenever we were staying in a new town, so she slept on the couch- despite the fact we offered her a bed every time. It just seemed she was used to sleeping in uncomfortable places and space.

Sam and I were out in the sun, standing by a river, drinking a couple of beers. We hadn't said much until Sam broke the silence.

"So... Last night. You wanna tell me what the hell you were talking about?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, playing dumb. I knew what he was going on about.

"What do I mean? I mean, you said you were tired of the job. And that it wasn't just because of dad."

"Forget it." I shrugged.

He shook his head. "No, I can't. No way."

"Come on, man. I thought we were both gonna die. You can't hold that over me."

"No, no, no. You can't pull that crap with me, man. You're talking." he pushed.

"And what if I don't?"

"Then I guess I'll just have to keep asking until you do."

I sighed, turning away from the water. "I don't know, man. I just think maybe we ought to... Go to the Grand Canyon." I nodded.

"What?" he looked at me confused, a slight smile on his face.

"Yeah, you know..." I shrugged. "All this driving back and forth across country. You know, I've never been to the Grand Canyon. Or we could go to TJ. Or Hollywood, see if we could bang Lindsay Lohan." I grinned.

"And what about Lizzie?"

"She can come with us."

He shook his head, chuckling lightly. "You're not making any sense."

"I just think we should take a break from all this. Why do we gotta get stuck with all the responsibility? You know? Why can't we live life a little bit?"

"Why are you saying all this?" he asked, smile falling. But as I shook my head and went to walk away, he followed me. "No, no, no, Dean. You're my brother, all right? So whatever weight you're carrying, let me help a little bit."

"I can't. I promised."

"Who?"

"Dad."

He looked a little surprised and hurt by that. "What are you taking about?"

"Right before dad died... He told me something." I'd been keeping this in for so long, it felt wrong. It felt like I couldn't do it anymore. "He told me something about you."

"What?" there was a slight fear in his eyes now. "Dean, what did he tell you?"

"He said that he... He wanted me to watch out for you, take care of you."

Sam shook his head. "He told you that a million times."

"This time was different. He said that I had to, save you."

"Save me from what?"

"He just said that I had to save you. That nothing else mattered. And that if I couldn't, I'd-" I cut myself short, finding it hard to even think the words, let alone say them.

"You'd what, Dean?"

I looked to him then, meeting his eyes. "I'd have to kill you. He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy."

"Kill me? What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know."

"I mean, he must've had some reason for saying it, right? Did he know the Demon's plans for me? Am I supposed to go dark side or something?! What else did he say, Dean?"

"Nothing, I swear." I answered honestly.

"How could you not have told me this?"

"Because it was dad. He begged me not to."

"Who cares? Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean." he snapped. "You had no right to keep this from me!"

"You think I wanted this?" I was keeping my voice as calm as I could, despite the fact I wanted to yell back at him. "Huh? I wish to God he'd never opened his mouth. That I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day."

He turned away from me. "We just gotta figure out what's going on then, what the hell all this means."

"We do? I've been thinking about this. I think we should just lay low. You know? At least for a while. Be safer. And that way I can make sure-"

"What? That I don't turn evil? That I don't turn into some kind of killer?"

"I never said that."

"Jeez, you're not careful, you will have to waste me one day, Dean."

"I never said that! Damn it, Sam. This whole thing is spinning out of control, all right? You're immune to some weirdo demon virus, and I don't even know what the hell anymore. And you're pissed at me and i get it. That's fine. I deserve it. But we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?"

"Forget it."

"Sam please, man, Hey, please. Just give me some time. Give me some time to think, okay? I'm begging you. Please, men, please."

He gave a short nod in agreement, leaving the conversation there. But I knew we weren't done. We weren't even close.

**Bamby**


	10. Hunted

**SPOV**

I stepped into the roadhouse, walking up to Ellen as she stood behind the bar cleaning some glasses. Clearing my throat, I got her attention.

"Sam." she offered a light smile.

"Hey, Ellen." I nodded. "You don't seem that surprised to see me."

"Your brother's been calling. Worried sick. Looking for you."

"Yeah, I figured he might." I'd snuck out of our hotel room a couple of days ago and made my way here with a stolen car.

"What's going on between you two?" she asked, leaning against the bar.

Ignoring her question, I changed the subject. "How's Jo?"

She nodded knowingly, understanding that I wasn't going to answer her question, so she moved on to me. "Well, I don't really know."

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't seen her in weeks. She sends a postcard now and again." she shrugged.

"What happened?"

"After she worked that job with you two boys and Lizzie, she decided she wanted to keep on hunting. I said, 'Not under my roof', and she said, 'Fine'."

I chuckled lightly. "So, I'm probably the last person you wanna see right now."

She laughed. "Oh, don't get me wrong. I wish I could blame the hell out of you boys. It'd be easier. Truth is, it's not your fault. Sam... None of it is. I want you to know that I forgave your daddy a long time ago, for what happened to my Bill. I just don't think he ever forgave himself."

"What did happen?"

It was her turn to ignore my question. "So, why did you come here, sweetie?"

"I need help."

...

"What am I looking for, Sam?" Ash asked.

"Other people." I kept my voice low so only he and Ellen could hear me. "Other psychics like me. As many as possible. And I need a nationwide search."

"But I thought there was no way to track them all down." Ellen noted. "Not all of them had nursery fires like you did."

"Well, no." I shrugged. "But some had to. Start there."

Ash didn't move right away. "First you gotta tell me how Elizabeth's doing. Haven't seen her in months. Haven't heard from her." he shook his head. "It's like you and Dean came around and swept her off her feet or something."

"You get me what I need, and I'll tell you what you want to know about Lizzie." I offered.

There was barely a second between me finishing my sentence and him starting his. "I'll be right back." he said before rushing off.

"Come on." Ellen nudged me. "I'll get you a beer."

I sat down and waited by the bar. She placed the beer in front of me. I wasn't even half way through it by the time Ash came back out.

"Done and done." he came to sit next to me.

"That was fast."

"Well, apparently, that's my job." he shrugged. "Make a monkey dance at the keyboard."

Ellen rolled her eyes. "Just tell us what you got, Ash."

"Four folks fit the profile, nationwide. Born in '83. Mother died in a nursery fire, the whole shebang."

"Four? That's it?" I thought there'd be a lot more than that...

"Sam Winchester from Lawrence, Kansas. Max Miller from Saginaw, Michigan. Andrew Gallagher from Guthrie, Oklahoma. And, uh… another name, Scott Carey." he placed the list in front of me.

I grabbed it to look at the name I hadn't heard, but saw no other information. "You got an address?"

"Kind of." he nodded. "The Arbor Hills Cemetery in Lafayette, Indiana. Plot 486."

"So he's dead?"

"Killed. About a month ago."

"Killed how?"

"Stabbed. In a parking lot. Fuzz don't have much. No suspects."

"All right." I took another drink before putting my beer down. "Thank you."

"So..." before I could move, he went on. "Elizabeth."

Sighing, I sat back down. "What do you want to know?"

"She met anyone?"

"No. She doesn't seem like the kind of person to settle down. Besides, we're always on the move, and I'm pretty sure she'd never hook up with a hunter."

"How is she?" Ellen asked, a sad look in her eyes. "When Dean calls, I never hear from her. You think she'll come back anytime soon?" there was a hopeful tone in her voice.

I just sighed. "I don't know. I think she feels like she really messed up, with you and Jo. I guess with everything that happened to her mum, she's scared of losing you guys, too. So she's just pushing you to the side for now."

"She told you about her mum?" Ellen looked surprised.

"Yeah." I nodded. "We came across a crossroads demon. After the case, she told me about her mum and the deal. She feels guilty about it, like it's her fault."

Dean didn't know. I hadn't told him, and I was pretty sure Lizzie wouldn't. I'd asked her more about it, but she wasn't saying anything. All I knew was that she somehow ended up in a coma and her mum made a deal to save her. Ten years later Lizzie found her mum after the hellhounds had gotten to her.

"So she didn't tell you anything else?" Ellen asked.

"No..." I frowned. "What else is there for her to tell?"

Ellen and Ash shared a look before Ash answered. "That's something you're gonna have to ask her, Sam I am."

"I've gotta do this first." I nodded to the list as I stood and started for the door.

Before I could get far, Ellen's voice stopped me. "Where are you going?"

"Indiana." I answered.

"Sam..." she watched as I stopped and turned to her. "I gotta call Dean, I gotta let him know where you are."

"Ellen, I'm trying to find answers about who I am." I explained. "My brother means well, but he can't protect me from that. Please."

Letting out a sigh, she nodded.

...

I'd gone to see Scott Carey's father. He'd shown me Scott's room, which is where I'd found a wall covered in pictures of yellow eyes in his wardrobe. Mr Carey also told me how Scott had been having nightmares and migraines. I had no doubt he was one of the psychics now.

Walking towards my hotel room, the sun gone, with hardly any one around, I could feel eyes on me. I could feel someone watching me as they snuck up.

As I reached my door, I waited for a moment before spinning around, grabbing them, and pushing them against the wall. "Who are you?"

It was a girl. She looked to be around my age. "Please. You're in danger."

...

Now in my hotel room, I watched as the girl from outside paced. "Okay, look, I know how all this sounds, but I'm not insane and I'm not on drugs. Okay? I'm normal. This is way, way off the map for me."

"All right, all right, just... Just calm down okay? What's your name?"

"Ava."

"Ava?"

"Ava Wilson."

"Ava, I'm Sam Winchester, all right?" I introduced myself. "Now, you were telling me about these dreams of yours?"

"Oh, yeah, okay... About a year ago I started having these, like headaches and just, nightmares, I guess. And I didn't think much of it, until I had this one dream where I saw this guy get stabbed in a parking lot."

"When was this?"

"About a month ago, but anyway…" she reached into her handbag and pulled out a newspaper clipping. "A couple of days later I found this." I took the clipping. It was an article about Scott's death. "I saw this guy die. Days before it happened. I don't know why, I don't know- It's just, some reason my dreams are coming true. And last night, I had another one."

"Okay." I waited expectantly.

She looked up at me. "About you. I saw you die."

"How did you find me?"

"Oh, ah, you had motel stationary. And I Googled the motel and it was real. And so I just thought that I should warn you."

I let out a short laugh. "I don't believe this..."

She groaned. "No, of course you don't. You think I'm a total nut job."

I shook my head. "Wait, no, no, no, no, I mean, you must be one of us."

"Sorry. One of- One of who?"

"One of the psychics like me." I explained. "Look, Ava, I have visions too, all right? So- So, we're connected."

She laughed. "Okay, so... you're nuts. That's great."

Seeing that I was losing her, I tried to convince her that I was right and not crazy. "No, okay, okay, look, did your mother happen to die in a house fire?"

"No, my mother lives in Palm Beach."

"So you don't fit the pattern either..."

**DPOV**

I was driving along the road, Liz rested her head on my shoulder as she slept. We hadn't stopped looking for Sam. We had no idea to look, but we were going to stop trying. At first, I'd offered to take Liz back to the roadhouse. Sam was my brother, and this wasn't her problem. But she refused, and insisted I let her go with me. Apparently, she and Sam had become good friends, and she was almost just as worried as I was.

My phone started to ring, waking her up.

She groaned, rubbing at her eyes as she looked up at me. "Who is it?"

"I don't know." I shrugged before answering the phone. "Hello?"

" _It's Ellen._ "

"Ellen." looking over at Liz for a moment, I spoke into the phone again. "Have you heard from him?"

" _I have. But he made me promise not to tell you where he is._ "

"Come on. Something bad could be going on here and I swore I'd look after that kid."

" _Now, Dean, they say you can't protect your loved ones forever._ " she started, but quickly went on. " _Well, I say screw that. What else is family for? He's in Lafayette, Indiana._ "

"Thanks." I hung up.

"We got him?" Liz asked, moving back over to her side.

I nodded. "We got him."

**SPOV**

"Why can't you just leave town? Please, before you blow up?" Ava clearly wanted me out of here.

"No, I can't."

"Oh, God. Why not?"

"Because there's something going on here, Ava. With you. With me. I mean, there are others like us out there. And we're all a part of something. And I gotta figure out what."

"Okay, you know what?" she stood up. "Screw you, buddy, okay? Because I'm a secretary from Peoria. And I'm not part of anything. Do you see this?" she showed me an engagement ring on her finger. "I am getting married in eight weeks. I am supposed to be home addressing invitations. Which I'm way behind on, by the way. But instead, I drove out here to save your weirdo ass. But if you just wanna stay here and die, fine. Me, I'm due back on planet Earth." she grabbed her bag and started for the door.

"Don't you wanna know why this is happening?" I asked, causing her to stop. "I mean, don't these visions scare the hell out of you? Because if you walk out that door right now, you might never know the truth." as she turned to me again, I shrugged. "I need your help."

...

Ava had stayed the night- in the spare bed. The next morning she'd helped by distracting Scott's therapist, while I snuck into his office and stole Scott's file. Walking back into the hotel room, I dumped the file on the table and looked to Ava.

"Are you okay?" I asked, seeing a look on her face I couldn't quite read.

She turned to me. "Am _I_ okay?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

"I just helped you steal some dead guy's confidential psych files... I'm awesome!" she beamed.

I grinned. "Let's see what we got then." pulling out the voice recorder I set it on the table before pressing play.

" _It started a little over a year ago. Migraines at first. Then I found that I could do stuff._ " Scott said.

" _What do you mean, 'do stuff'_?" the therapist asked.

" _I have this ability. When I touch something, I can electrocute it if I want._ "

**EPOV**

Dean drove into the parking lot of the Blue Rose Motel. I looked into the windows, trying to see any sign of Sam, when I spotted him. His back was turned, but I knew it was him.

"There." I pointed to the room.

Dean stopped and turned the car off. "Thank God you're okay." he let out a breath of relief as we watched his brother. Sam moved from the window, revealing a woman in the room as well. Dean chuckled. "Oh, you're better than okay. Sam, you sly dog."

**SPOV**

" _What else does the Yellow-Eyed man say?"_

" _He has plans for me. He says there's a war coming. And people like e, we're gonna be the soldiers. Everything is about to change._ "

I reached over and turned it off, not wanting to hear any more for the moment.

"He's not talking about us, right?" Ava asked.

"Yeah, I think he is." I moved around to the other side of the table.

"Well- But how can we turn into that?"

Sighing, I shrugged as I went to sit down. "I don't-"

Coincidently, I'd moved right in time as a bullet broke through the window and hit the wall behind me.

Getting to the ground quickly, I grabbed Ava and held her down as well as she froze and another shot bullet hit the wall.

**DPOV**

Liz and I snuck up the stairs to the roof of a building across from Sam's room.

"Gordon!" I ran up to him as he lay on the roof with a rifle. Kicking him away from the gun, I got down and punched him. "You do that to my brother? I'll kill you."

"Dean, wait."

But I didn't give him a chance to speak, I just punched him again, and again.

I didn't notice him grab the rifle, which he then used to hit me across the head. He was quick. As I fell back, he got to his feet and aimed at Liz. I froze as he stepped up to her and pressed the barrel of his gun to her temple.

"Now either you can do this the easy way. Or your friend here..." Gordon pressed the barrel against her head harder. "She gets a bullet."

**SPOV**

Once the shooting had stopped, Ava and I headed over to the building across from my room. We made our way up to the roof, where we found some blood and bullet shells.

"Wait, I don't understand. Shouldn't we be talking to the cops?" Ava asked.

"Trust me, they wouldn't do us much good." I told her as I crouched down to look at the shells. "These are .223 caliber. Subsonic rounds. The guy must have out a suppressor on the rifle."

"Dude, who are you?"

"I just- I just watch a lot of T.J. Hooker." I lied, standing back up as I pulled out my phone and dialled Dean's number.

"Who are you calling?"

"My brother. I think we definitely need help."

" _Hello?_ "

"Dean."

" _Sam, we've been looking for you_."

"Yeah, look, I'm in Indiana, Lafayette."

" _I know._ "

"You do?"

" _Yeah, I talked to Ellen. Liz and I just got here. It's a real funky town. You ditched us, Sammy. You ditched me._ "

There was something wrong... "Yeah, I'm sorry, look, right now, there's someone after me."

" _What? Who?_ "

"I don't know. That's what we need to find out. Where are you?"

" _I'm staying at 5637 Monroe Street. Why don't you meet me here?_ "

"Yeah, sure." I answered before hanging up.

"What is it?" Ave could see there was something wrong.

"My brother and friend are in trouble."

"What?"

"He gave me a code word. Someone's got a gun on him."

"Code word?"

"Yeah, funky town." when I looked up and saw the confusion on her face, I explained. "Well, he thought of it. It's kind of a long story. Come on." I nodded back to the stairs before we left.

**DPOV**

Gordon hung up the phone. "Now, was that so hard?"

"Bite me."

He'd tied Liz and I to a chair each in an abandoned building, where he was planning to lure Sam. To kill him. It had me on edge, but I wasn't going to just give up. Not when people I cared about were in danger.

"Gordy." I started. "I know me and Sam ain't exactly your favourite people. But don't you think this is a little extreme? And Liz here hasn't done anything to deserve this."

He shook his head. "Elizabeth knows the drill. She's got nothing to worry about as long as she does what I say." turning to her, he gave a knowing look.

I frowned, my eyes moving from Liz, to Gordon and then back. "You two know each other?"

"Yes." Liz glared at Gordon.

"We worked on a case together." Gordon shrugged. "Elizabeth makes excellent bait."

"Go to hell." she snarled.

"But we didn't just work together." ignoring her, he stepped closer to her chair. "Elizabeth can be trusting when you want her to be." I wasn't stupid, I knew what he was saying. They'd slept together. "But you probably already know about that." he looked over to me then. "As for you and Sammy. This isn't about revenge."

As much as I wanted to rip into him for talking about Liz like that, I tried to keep cool and stay on track. "We did leave you tied up in your own mess for three days, which was awesome." I chuckled lightly. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh."

"I was planning on whooping your ass for that. But that's not what this is. This isn't personal. I'm not a killer. I'm a hunter. And your brother's fair game."

**SPOV**

"I don't think I should leave." she insisted as we headed for her car.

"I want you out of harm's way, Ava."

"But what about you?"

"What about you?"

"Harm's way doesn't really bother me."

"No, but you are walking right into my vision. I mean, this is how you die."

"Doesn't matter." I shrugged. "It's my brother. And my friend."

"Maybe I can help." she offered.

"You've done all you can. Just- Just go back to your fiancé." I told her as we reached her car. A blue Volkswagen bug.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." I opened the door for her. "Go home, Ava. You'll be safe there."

She got in the car and looked up at me through the open window. "Well, just... Promise me you'll call. When you get you brother and friend, just to let me know that everything's all right."

I gave a short nod. "I promise."

**DPOV**

"See, I was doing an exorcism down in Louisiana. Teenage girl. Seemed routine, some low-level demon. But between the jabbering and head-spinning, damn thing muttered something. About a coming war. I don't think it meant to. It just kind of slipped out, but it was too late. Piqued my interest. And you can really make a demon talk, if you got the right tools."

"And what happened to the girl it was possessing?" I asked, knowing what the answer was going to be.

"She didn't make it." was all he said.

"Well, you're a son of a bitch."

He stood up, walked over, and backhanded me across the face.

"Dean!" Liz called out. "Gordon, don't."

He just shook his head, moving to sit back down. "That's my mama you're talking about. Anyway, this demon tells me they have soldiers to fight in this coming war. Humans, fighting on hell's side. Do you believe that?"

"Do you think they _want_ to live like this?" Liz asked him, venom in her voice. "They're just people."

"They're psychics, so they're not exactly pure humans." he argued, stepping up to her chair. "It wasn't that long ago you'd kill one of them on the spot."

She glared up at him. "What can I say, I've grown as a person."

The look in Liz's eyes was pure hatred. Whatever had happened in the past, still haunted her. It made me think of the time Ellen told me not to work with him. Was Liz the reason Ellen didn't trust the guy? I wouldn't have either if I found out he'd used her as bait. That would have been after he slept with her. Which still confused me. Why would she sleep with him of all people? He's crazy.

Though before I find out he was crazy, I thought he was a pretty decent guy. We'd hung out, gotten to know each other. He'd seemed like someone I could trust. But before long, his true colours showed up, and from there I knew I could and would never trust him again.

"You know the biggest kick in the ass?" he turned to me, going on. "This demon said I knew one of them. Our very own Sammy Winchester."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Oh, this is- This is a whole new level of moronic, even for you."

"Yeah." he nodded. "Come on, Dean. I know, about Sam's visions. I know everything."

"Really? Because a demon told you? Yeah, and it wasn't lying."

"Hey, Dean, I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay? I did my homework. Made damn sure it was true. Look, you got your Roadhouse connections, I got mine. That's how I found Sammy in the first place." he moved over to his chair and sat down again. "About a month ago, I found another one of these freaks, here in town. He could deep-fry a person just by touching them."

"Yeah, did he kill anyone?" I asked, looking over my ties, trying to find a way out. But there wasn't.

"Besides Mr Tinkles, the cat? No. But he was working up to it. They're all gonna be killers, Dean. We gotta take them all out. And that means Sammy too."

My eyes fell on the rifle in his hands. "You think Sam's stupid enough to walk through that front door?"

"No, I don't. Especially since I'm sure you found a way to warn him." he gave a short, face laugh. "You really think I'm that stupid?"

I didn't think he needed me to answer that.

"No." he got up and moved to his bag. "Sammy's gonna scope the place first. See me covering the front door. So he's gonna take the back. And when he does, he'll hit the tripwire. Then..." he pulled out a grenade, "boom."

"Sam's not gonna fall for a frigging tripwire."

"Maybe you're right." he nodded, reaching into the bag again, pulling out another grenade. "That's why I'll have a second one." he stepped up to me with a sigh. "Hey, look. I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, I really do. But for what it's worth, it'll be quick." he said before walking off to set up the traps.

The moment he was gone, I turned to Liz. "You slept with that guy?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and I haven't slept with a hunter since. The last thing I need is to be screwed over, after I've been screwed."

**EPOV**

Gordon Walker. The asshole who nearly got me killed. The average lay that had made me give up on hunters. The lunatic determined to kill my friend. I wanted him dead. I wanted to kill him myself, but I was willing to give the honour to Dean seeing as it was his brother on the line here.

I didn't like the fact Dean now knew about Gordon's and my past. Not many people knew about it, and I had hoped it would stay that way. Because of him, most hunters didn't trust taking me out on the job. Because I'd been forcefully used as bait, it made them see me as a fragile, vulnerable, useless girl.

I wanted him dead.

"Come on man." Dean turned to Gordon as he walked back into the room where Dean and I were tied up. "I know, Sam, okay? Better than anyone. He's got more of a conscience than I do. I mean, the guy feels guilty surfing Internet for porn."

Gordon shrugged, coming to sit in between us. "Maybe you're right. But one day, he's gonna be a monster."

"How? Huh? How's a guy like Sam become a monster?"

"Beats me, but he will."

"No, you don't know that." Dean snapped.

"I'm surprised at you, Dean. Getting all emotional. I'd heard you were more or a professional than this. Look, let's say you were cruising around in that car of yours, and you had little Hitler riding shotgun, right? Back when he was just some goofy, crappy artist. But you knew what he was gonna turn into someday. You'd take him out." he clicked his fingers. "No questions. Am I right?"

"That's not Sam." Dean wasn't letting go of his brother though, and he shouldn't.

"Yes, it is. You just can't see it yet."

"I wish I'd killed you when I had the chance." I muttered, knowing he heard me.

Gordon turned to me then. "Really?" he asked, standing up and moving so he was in front of me.

"Yeah." I nodded. "You go on about Sam turning into a monster. How he's going to kill people. Be this scary soldier. See, to me that sounds exactly like you. Mindless killing. Doing what you think is right, without asking questions." shrugging, I kept eye contact, watching as he tensed his jaw. "You're the monster, Gordon. You always were."

He lifted his hand and back handed me. Hard.

My head snapped to the side and the chair lost balance, sending me to the ground. Unable to control where I landed, my head hit some loose, hard rubble. Pain throbbed as I let out a small cry.

"Liz!" Dean began to struggle against his binds. "Don't you touch her!"

Ignoring him, Gordon grabbed the arm of my chair and pulled me back up. He looked to my forehead, lifting a finger to press on it. I winced in pain and watched as he drew back his hand to show blood on his fingers.

"I didn't want to have to hurt you." he shook his head. "Look, I'm sympathetic. He's your friend." he nodded to Dean. "Your brother. You love the guy. But here's the thing." pulling out a cloth from his back pocket, he moved to stand behind me. "It would've wrecked him. But John, if it came right down to it, he'd have the stones to do the right thing here." he tied the cloth around my face like a gag before he headed over to Dean. "So you're telling me, you're not the man he is?" he asked Dean, gaging him as well.

Like I said, I wanted him dead.

**DPOV**

Liz and I tensed as Gordon turned to look at the back of the house. We could all here it. Sam was here, picking the lock of the door. About to walk into the death trap.

"You hear him?" Gordon asked. "Here he comes."

A moment later, the first bomb went off.

I yelled against my gag, struggling against my binds.

But Gordon didn't move. "Hold on. Not yet. Just wait and see."

The second bomb went off.

Gordon started for the back room. "Sorry, Dean." he said before disappearing.

Liz was crying, screaming against her gag. I was struggling to get out of my seat and to turn. I couldn't see Gordon anymore. I didn't know where he was going, or if Sam was alive. I had no idea what was happening. I was useless.

Sam couldn't be dead. It was my job to take care of him. It was my responsibility. He couldn't be dead. I wouldn't believe it. Not unless I see it with my own eyes.

If he was dead, I didn't know what was I supposed to do next. Sam was the only family I had. He was the only person I knew I could trust and count on no matter what. Without him, I'd be alone. When I was willing to die with him last week, that wasn't me being dramatic. If he was gone, I had no one else left, and I couldn't go on like that.

"Put it down now!" Sam yelled.

He was alive. He was alive!

Before I could get too excited, the sound of a fight sounded. Both Sam and Gordon grunting as parts of the house began to collapse and fall apart.

I started to struggle against my binds again. Needing to get free. Needing to save my brother.

Just as suddenly as it had started, it finished. The sound of footsteps coming our way could have bene either of them. If it was Gordon, then I'd know Sam was dead, and he'd be next. I wasn't letting him leave this house alive.

But it was Sam who stepped up to me. He was battered and bleeding, but he was alive and that was the main thing. Standing next to me, he untied on of my hands before he turned to help Liz with her binds.

The moment she was free, she stood and threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "I thought you were dead."

Sam chuckled lightly, hugging her back. "Can't get rid of me that easily."

I got myself free and stepped up to them, checking out Sam's injuries first, before taking a look at Liz's head- which was still bleeding. "Son of a-" I started for Gordon.

"Dean, no." Sam called after me.

"I let him live once. I won't make the same mistake twice." I argued.

But he just shook his head. "Trust me. Gordon's taken care of. Come on." he grabbed my shoulder and turned me to the front door.

The three of us left the house, ready to get the hell out of there. We were caught completely by surprise when Gordon walked out of the house and started shooting at us.

"Come on!" I yelled as the three of us started running for the bushes across the road. "You call this 'taken care of'?" I asked Sam as Gordon kept shooting. We jumped over a log and hid, unable to run anymore without risk of getting shot. "What the hell are we doing?"

"Just trust me on this, all right." Sam insisted.

Out of nowhere, a number of cops pulled up, sirens ringing as they blocked off any escape Gordon could have used.

"Drop your weapons. Get down on your knees!"

"Hands above your head now!"

"On the ground, right now!"

"Do it!"

Sam, Liz and I watched as Gordon dropped his guns and got down to his knees, raising his hands to his head. A cop came over and cuffed him as a few others moved to his car, hiding his stash of guns and weapons.

"Anonymous tip." Sam explained.

"You're a fine, upstanding citizen, Sam." I grinned before turning to Liz.

...

" _Gordon Walker was hunting Sam?_ " Ellen asked on the other side of the phone.

I stood outside the Impala with Liz while Sam sat in the car. "He almost killed us. _All_ of us. Because somebody over there can't keep their frigging mouth shut!"

" _And you honestly think it was me? Or Ash, or Jo? No way._ "

I was pissed, and I had every right to be. "Well, who else knows about Sam, huh? You must've been talking to somebody."

" _You can say a lot of things about us, but we aren't disloyal, and we're not stupid. We haven't breathed a word of this._ "

"Gordon said he had Roadhouse connections, Ellen."

" _And this roadhouse is full of other hunters. They're all smart, they're good trackers, each of them with their own patterns and connections. Hell, I could name twelve of them right now that are capable of putting this together._ " she sighed. " _I am sorry about what happened, Dean. But I can't control these people. Or what they choose to believe. Just take care of Lizzie. You can't bring her back when they know she's been with you and Sam._ "

"Trust me. I'm not taking my eyes off her." I hung up the phone then, too pissed to talk to Ellen any more. Sighing, I turned and stepped up to Liz where she'd been standing next to me. Lifting a hand to her head, I checked out her bruising cut. "How's it feel?"

"Sore." she winced as I brushed my finger against it.

I pulled my hand back. "Sorry."

"It's fine." she shrugged. "At least it's stopped bleeding."

I hated seeing her like this, and I hated that I couldn't protect her back there. She shouldn't have gotten hurt. I shouldn't have let him get his hands on her. _Or_ Sam.

Shaking my head, I sighed. "You wanna get out of here?"

"Yes please." she nodded, following me to get into the car.

**EPOV**

"Hey, Ava. It's Sam again." Sam was trying to get a hold of the girl he'd been hanging out with at his hotel, but she wasn't picking up. "Call me when you get this. Just wanna make sure you got home okay. All right, bye." he hung up.

"Everything all right?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"Well, Gordon should be reaching for the soap for the next few years at least." Dean grinned.

Sam nodded. "Yeah. If they pin Scott Carey's murder on him. And if he doesn't bust out."

"Dude, if you ever take off like that again..." Dean left the threat hanging.

"What?" Sam gave a light smile to his brother. "You'll kill me?"

I reached over and slapped his shoulder "Not funny."

Sam just laughed. "All right. All right, so where to next then?"

"One word. Amsterdam." Dean answered.

"Dean-"

But he cut Sam off before he could go on. "Come on, man, I hear the coffee shops don't even serve coffee."

"I'm not gonna just ditch the job." Sam argued.

"Screw the job." both guys turned to me, surprised.

"You love the job." Sam noted.

I shook my head. "Look, Sam, you're my friend. And if we have to lay low to keep you safe, then that's what we'll do."

Dean nodded. "She's right. Majority rules."

Sam laughed. "When did this become a democracy?"

"Now." Dean and I answered at the same time.

Shaking his head, Sam sighed. "I've tried running before, guys. I ran all the way to California, and look what happened. You can't run from this. And you can't protect me."

"We can try." Dean shrugged.

Sam looked to his brother. "Look, Dean, I'm gonna keep hunting. I mean, whatever is coming, I'm taking it head-on. So if you two really wanna watch my back, then I guess you'll have to stick around."

Dean shook his head. "Bitch."

"Jerk." Sam responded right away.

I rolled my eyes. "Morons."

Sam chuckled lightly as he pulled out his phone.

"You're calling that Ava girl again?" Dean asked. "Are you sweet on her or something?"

"She's engaged, Dean."

"So?" Dean grinned, causing me to roll my eyes again. "What's the point of saving the world if you can't get a little nookie once in a while, huh?"

Sam pulled the phone away from his ear, not getting through again.

Dean looked to him for a moment. "What?"

"Just a feeling... How far is it to Peoria?"

...

"Hello?" Sam called as we walked into the house. "Is anybody home?"

The three of us headed form room to room with our torches, looking for any sign of Sam's friend and her fiancé. As we came to the bedroom we found him, lying on the bed... Dead. There was blood everywhere.

"Oh, my God." Sam came to a stop.

I couldn't tear my eyes form the body... All that blood... It reminded me of how I'd found my family. All the red. The blood. Everywhere. Walls, floors, on everything...

"Hey." Dena turned from the window, showing us his fingers and the yellow powder on them. "Sulphur. Demon's been here."

Sam shook his head, turning to leave, but when he stepped on something, he stopped and crouched down to pick it up. It was a woman's engagement ring.

Ava was gone.

**Bamby**


	11. Hoodoo and Dolls

**EPOV**

" _Now you stick with the boys, no matter what. You hear me?"_

I was on the phone to Ellen after she'd spoken to Sam. I guess since I hadn't spoken to her in months, she was tired of waiting and ordered him to hand the phone over to me. Like I said before, she's practically a mum to me, so it's not like I could say no to her.

"Yes, Ellen."

" _And if you need a place to go, if you have to leave them, you go straight to Bobby's. He'll take care of you._ "

"He always has." I nodded. "I know the drill, Ellen. Brush my teeth every day, remember to eat some kind of leafy green, and kill all the monsters. I've heard it all before." the door to the hotel room opened as Dean walked in. "Look, I gotta go, I'll talk to you later." I told her before hanging up.

"Ellen?" Dean asked as he dumped some of the food he was carrying over by Sam at the table.

"Yeah." Sam nodded. "She's got nothing. Me, I've been checking every database I can think of. Federal, state and local. No one's heard anything about Ava."

"And I've called all my _trustworthy_ contacts, without telling them where we are, and making sure the conversations are short." I assured them. The last thing we needed was more hunters on our trail. "They've got nothing."

"What about you?" Sam asked him.

Dean shook his head, handing Sam a coffee. "No. Same as before. Sorry, man."

"Yeah." Sam sighed. "Ellen did have one thing. A hotel in Cornwall, Connecticut. Two freak accidents in the past three weeks."

"Yeah, what's that have to do with Ava?" Dean asked as he came over to me, handing over a coffee while keeping one for himself.

"It's a job." Sam answered. "I mean, a lady drowned in the bathtub. And then a few days ago, a guy falls down the stairs, head turned a complete 180. Which isn't exactly normal, you know? Look, I don't know, Dean, it might be nothing, but I told Ellen we'd think about checking it out."

"You did?" Dean sounded surprised as he placed his coffee on the night stand and tugged off his leather jacket.

"Yeah." Sam nodded. "You seem surprised."

Dean shrugged, sitting himself down on the bed. "Well, yeah, it's just, you know, not the patented Sam Winchester way, is it?"

"What way is that?"

"Just figured after Ava there'd be, you know, more angst and droopy music and staring out the rainy windows." Dean looked to Sam and stopped. "Yeah, I'll shut up now." he leaned back against the head board so he was next to me.

I grinned. "Dean, Sam wasn't in love with her. He's just worried. She was engaged, remember?"

Sam nodded. "And I'm the one who told her to go back home." he stood and moved to his own bed. "Now her fiancé is dead and some demon has taken her off to God knows where. You know? We've been looking for a month now and we got nothing. So I'm not giving up on her but I'm not gonna let other people die either. We gotta save as many people as we can."

"Wow." Dean shook his head. "That attitude is just way too healthy for me. I'm officially uncomfortable now, thank you."

I slapped Dean's shoulder. "Do you always have to be such a dick?"

He just grinned at me before looking to Sam again. "Call Ellen, tell her we'll take it."

"Cool." Sam nodded as he stood and pulled out his phone, moving back to the table and his computer.

Dean leaned closer to me, speaking lowly. "Are you sleeping on the couch tonight, or is there a reason why you're sitting on my bed?"

"I just can't help myself, Dean." I purred. "All these months, and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my hands off you for much longer."

His grin widened. "You know, you're gonna be the death of me."

"I haven't even started yet." I winked before getting up and moving over to the couch.

**DPOV**

"Dude, this is sweet." I looked up at the large, old hotel as we got out of the car. "We never get to work jobs like this."

"Like what?" Sam asked as he got his bag out of the back.

"Old school haunted houses, you know? Fog, secret passageways, sissy British accents." I moved to the other back door as Liz got out and handed me my bag. "Thanks."

"No problem." she smiled before turning to the building. "I gotta admit, I'm pretty excited as well."

"You get excited about every job." Sam noted.

"Guilty." she beamed, starting for the front door of the hotel. Sam and I were right behind her.

"We might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside." I joked, remembering that I'd called Liz Daphne a couple of months ago. My eyes fell on her as I hummed a little. "Daphne, love her."

"I can feel your eyes, Winchester." Liz reached the top step and turned to me. "Keep them up here." she gestured to her face.

I hurried up the steps to meet her, grinning. "If that's what you want." my eyes fell to her lips.

We'd been dancing like this for a while now. Flirting shamelessly. Teasing one another. The few kisses on the cheek she'd given me were torture.

I liked the girl. She liked me, I knew it. Neither of us were the settling down types, but casual sex was always on the table with me. Being on the road, always going from place to place. The idea of having no restrictions and no strings with her. It entertained my thoughts more than once... a day.

"Hey, come check this out."

We both turned to Sam as he looked at an old pot for a dying plant.

"I'm not so sure haunted's the problem." he stepped closer to whatever had his attention.

"What do you mean?" I asked, as Liz and I walked down to see what he was looking at.

"You see this pattern here?" he pointed to a little cross on the pot. "That's a quincunx. It's a five-spot."

"Five-spot?" I'd heard of those. "That's used for Hoodoo spell work, right?"

"Right." Sam nodded. "You fill this thing with blood weed, you got a powerful charm to ward off enemies."

"Yeah, but there isn't any blood weed anywhere." Liz noted.

I turned to look at the building again. "Don't you think this place is a little too, uh, white meat for Hoodoo?"

Sam shrugged. "Maybe."

**EPOV**

We walked into the foyer of the hotel and stepped up to the reception desk as a woman walked into the room, a welcoming smile on her face.

"May I help you?" she asked.

I smiled back at her. "Hi. We'd like a room for a couple of nights, please."

Before I could say anymore, a girl ran out from another room, nearly bumping into Sam as she hurried down the hall.

"Hey!" the woman called after her. But the girl was already gone. "Sorry about that." she apologized to Sam.

He gave a short nod. "No problem."

Turning back to me, the woman smiled again. "Well, congratulations. You could be some of our final guests."

Dean chuckled lightly. "That sounds vaguely ominous."

"Uh, no. I'm sorry." she quickly corrected herself. "I mean, we're closing at the end of the month." she looked to each other us then. "Let me guess. You're here antiquing?" she asked, looking to the brothers oddly.

Dean smiled at her charmingly. "How'd you know?"

"You just look the type." she shrugged, turning to grab a key. "So a king for the gentlemen and a single for the lady?" she asked.

We all tensed. I had to hold back a laugh. She thought the guys were gay.

"What? No." Sam shook his head. "No. No. We're brothers."

Dean's smile fell. "Yeah."

The woman looked completely shocked and embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry."

I laughed lightly. "Don't worry, it happens a lot." I lied, trying to lessen her embarrassment. Gesturing to Sam, I smiled at the woman. "This is my boyfriend and his brother. We're travelling the country, looking for unique pieces for a shop my mum owns."

"Speaking of antiques," Sam started, "you have a really interesting urn on the front porch. Where'd you get that?"

"I have no idea. It's been there forever." the woman answered, a little more relaxed now that the subject had been changed. Turning back to the credit card I'd given her, she smiled again. "Here you go, Miss Mahoggoff." she handed the card back before ringing a bell. "You'll be staying in Room 237."

"Okay." I nodded, taking the room key from her. "Thank you."

"Shermin, could you show these gentleman and lovely lady to their room?" she asked, looking over my shoulder.

I turned to the old man heading our way, nodding at the woman's request. "Let me guess." he looked to Dean and Sam. "Antiquers?"

This time I couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

...

Sherwin dragged Dean's bag along the ground, 'carrying' it as he showed us to our room. My hand was laced through Sam's as we walked, a smile on our faces as we pretended to be a sweet couple. Dean had taken one look at us, rolled his eyes and chose to walk beside the old man.

"I could give you a hand with that bag." he offered, gesturing to his bag.

"I got it." Sherwin insisted.

Looking up at Sam, my smile widened. "Thank you for carrying my bag for me, baby."

"No problem, sweetie." he was enjoying this as much as I was. Teasing Dean was so much fun.

Dean sighed, shaking his head as he changed the subject. "So the hotel's closing up, huh?"

"Yep." Sherwin nodded. "Miss Susan tried to make a go of it. But the guests just don't come like they used to. Still, it's a damn shame."

"Oh, yeah?" Sam asked.

"It may not look it anymore, but this place was a palace." Sherwin explained. "Two different vice-presidents laid their heads on our pillows. My parents worked here. I practically grew up here. I'm gonna miss it." he said as he came to a stop to unlock a door. "Here's your room."

Once the door was opened, I stepped forward and took the key, offering the man a smile. "Thank you so much." I nodded, walking in with Sam right behind me.

The room was just like the rest of the building. Old, and out dated. But I still found it charming. Though, mind you, I enjoyed things others usually didn't.

"You're not gonna cheap out on me, are you, boy?"

I turned to see Sherwin looking to Dean expectantly, waiting for his tip. Shaking my head, I reached into my pocket and pulled out some money, giving it to the old man- knowing that I gave him a little extra. "For the conversation."

He smiled back at me, nodding. "Thank you, ma'am. You have a lovely day."

"You, too." I told him before closing the door.

Dean was right behind me. As I turned, he backed me up against the door, looking down at me, speaking in hushed tones, his voice a little deeper than usual. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

"Immensely." I grinned, biting my lip which his eyes fell to. "You want something Winchester, you gotta tell me. A girl can't assume everything."

"Ah guys?"

Reluctantly, Dean pulled back as we both look to Sam. "What?" he asked his brother.

Sam looked around the room. "There's no couch..."

It was Dean's turn to grin as he turned back to me.

_Well, crap..._

**DPOV**

I chuckled as I looked up at an old wedding dress pinned to the wall as decoration. "What the...?"

Sam turned away from the paperwork. "What?"

I gestured to the dress. "That's normal. Why the hell would anyone stay here? I'm amazed they kept in business this long." shaking my head, I moved to the double sized bed, nearly melting into it, it was so soft.

Liz was sitting on the other side of it. She didn't even glance up as she continued to ignore me, focusing on the paper work in front of her. She hadn't been happy with the fact she had to share with one of us. Seeing how the beds were so small, and Sam was tall, it only made sense she shared with me.

"All right." Sam started. "Victim number one. Joan Edison, forty-three years old, a realtor. Handling the sale of the hotel."

"Vic two was Larry Williams." Liz added. "He was moving some stuff to Goodwill."

"There's a connection." I nodded. "They're both tied up in shutting the place down."

"Yeah. Maybe somebody here doesn't wanna leave." Sam shrugged. "And they're using Hoodoo to fight back."

"Who do you think our witch doctor is? The receptionist... Susan?"

Sam shook his head. "No, it doesn't seem likely."

"She's trying to sell the place." Liz noted.

"So, what then? Sherwin?" he seemed like the next possibility.

Sam didn't look too sure with the idea though. "I don't know."

"Of course, the most troubling question is, why do these people assume we're gay? I mean, we came in with a chick." I gestured to Liz.

"Well, you are kind of butch." Sam grinned. "They probably think you're overcompensating." Liz laughed at his words.

I turned to her. "You, don't say anything."

"Oh, come on." she grinned. "Now they think Sam and I are together, so there's nothing you have to worry about."

She knew I didn't like that. I hadn't minded when she pretended to be Sam's girlfriend during our first job together. But it was different now. With all the flirting we'd been doing, I didn't exactly like the idea of Sam getting that kind of attention from her as well. Plus, she kissed him during that first case... seeing that again was not an option.

**SPOV**

We were walking the halls, checking the place out, when I noticed something on the inside of one of the vases.

"Hey." I called to the others to get their attention. Lifting the vase, I showed them the cross that looked just like the one outside. "Look at that. More Hoodoo."

Dean pulled back and looked to the nearest door, seeing that it was marked 'private'. Stepping up to it, he lightly knocked before waiting. A moment later, Susan opened the door.

"Hi there." Dean nodded.

"Hi. Everything okay with your room?"

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's great." Dean assured her.

"Perfect." Lizzie added. "I love the dress on the wall. Reminds me of the one my grandmother wore to her wedding."

Susan smiled at her. "I'm glad you like the room. But I was just in the middle of packing, so..."

"Of course." Lizzie nodded, before she nodded to some dolls on a shelf in the room behind Susan. "I just, uh... are those antique dolls?"

"This one." Dean patted my shoulder. "This one he's got a major doll collection back home. It's actually how these two met." he gestured to me and Lizzie. "Isn't that right?"

I knew he was just getting back at us, and I also knew that if we wanted in the room, I now had to go with the story. "Yep, it's true."

Unlike me though, Lizzie jumped into the story with ease as she continued to smile as if she wasn't embarrassed at all. "It's funny really. I was looking for some dolls for my own collection, he was looking for some as well. We were at a little, hidden store in Texas. I reached for a doll and he reached for it at the same time. Since then, we've been inseparable." she leaned against me as she went on. "You know, it would make my day if we could come in and take a look."

She was good. I couldn't believe how she came up with that story so easily. The way she talked about it made it sound so real as well. There was no hint of lying in her words. She said them as if it all really happened.

Dean's mood went down a little once she started talking. He'd been trying to embarrass us, and seeing as he couldn't, he just seemed to give up a little. He knew she didn't care what he threw her way, she'd lie and go along with anything.

Susan looked a little unsure, but eventually nodded. "Okay, come on in."

"Thank you." Lizzie stepped forward and past Susan, heading over to the dolls as she lifted one up. "Oh, honey, doesn't this remind you of the one you got me for my birthday last year?"

I smiled at her, going along. "How could I forget?"

"This is a lot of dolls." Dean moved to the shelves piled with all various kinds of dolls. "And they're nice, you know, they're not super creepy at all."

Susan chuckled lightly. "I suppose they are a little creepy. But they've been in the family forever. Lot of sentimental value."

Looking around the room, I couldn't ignore the large doll house. "What is this?" I asked, stepping around to the open side at the back. "The hotel?"

"That's right." Susan nodded. "Exact replica, custom-built."

Lizzie came over, beaming. "Oh, my. Isn't it gorgeous? And look at all the details." she delicately ran her fingers over the fake grass.

Looking into it, I noticed a doll lying on the ground. I lifted it to show the others. "His head got twisted around. What happened to it?"

"Tyler, probably." Susan shrugged.

"Mummy!" speaking of which. Her daughter came rushing around the corner then. "Maggie's being mean."

Susan turned to her daughter. "Tyler, tell her I said to be nice, okay?"

"Hey, Tyler." I stepped out from behind the house, showing her the doll. "I see you broke your doll. You want me to fix it?"

"I didn't break it. I found it like that."

"Oh... maybe Maggie did it?" I suggested.

"No. Neither of us did it." she insisted. "Grandma would get mad if we broke them."

"Tyler, she wouldn't get mad." Susan brushed Tyler's hair back.

"Grandma?" Dean asked, interested. We hadn't heard about a grandma yet.

"Grandma Rose." Tyler explained. "These were all her toys."

"Really?" Lizzie came to stand by me. "You know, my middle name is Rose, and I love dolls too." she smiled at the little girl. "Where is Grandma Rose now?"

"Up in here room." Tyler answered.

I turned to Susan. "You know, I'd really love to talk to Rose about her incredible dolls."

Susan hardly waited for me to finish speaking before she answered. "No." relaxing a little, she went on. "I mean... I'm afraid that's impossible. My mother's been very sick and she'd not taking any visitors."

**EPOV**

Walking out of the room, Dean waiting until Sam closed the door before speaking. "What do you think? Dolls? Hoodoo? Mysterious shut-in Grandma?"

"Well, dolls are used in all kind of Voodoo and Hoodoo, like curses and binding spells." Sam noted as we all started towards our room.

"You think Rose might be the witch?" I asked, looking to each brother.

Dean shrugged. "Why don't we go see what we can dig up on Booming Granny?" he gestured to himself and me before pointing to Sam. "You get online, check old obits, freak accidents, that's sort of thing. See if she's whacked anybody before."

"Right." Sam nodded as we reached the room.

"Don't go surfing porn." Dean told him as before he could get in the room. "That's not the kind of whacking I mean."

I rolled my eyes as I followed him down the hall. "Do you have to be so crude?"

"You love it." he grinned at me.

Truth be told, his humour did entertain me. I could be the same when I wanted to be, but I enjoyed sticking up for Sam because it annoyed the hell out of Dean sometimes, and that was just as entertaining.

We walked through the halls, looking at all the photos on the walls and such, not speaking. We didn't have to speak all the time. There was a natural comfort in our silence. We got along great. We could joke and flirt and mess around with each other easily. I'd never had a friend like that before.

But with the flirting, came risk.

I liked Dean. If I was being honest, I really liked him. There wasn't much to fault on him, and all the negatives just made the positives so much better. So it was hard to set boundaries and stick to them.

After everything that had happened with Gordon a few years back. After trusting him, and sleeping with him, only to be turned into bait for the job... I'd sworn off hunters forever. I didn't trust any of them enough to put myself back in a position like that. A position that could get me killed.

Hell, with my life, I'd practically sworn off all types of relationships except the casual sex and one-night stand ones. As long as I was on the road, and hunting things, I wasn't settling down.

**DPOV**

We'd been looking around for a few hours, night had fallen when the next incident happened, giving us our third victim. Liz and I stood on the front steps of the hotel, watching as Susan spoke to an officer and the coroner placed a body in the back of their van.

"This doesn't look good." Liz muttered.

"Yeah, you could say that." I nodded, moving to step in Susan's way as she headed for the door to the hotel. "Hey, what happened?"

She stopped on the step before us. "Uh, the maid went in to turn down the sheets, and he was just hanging there."

"That's awful. He was a guest?" I asked.

"He worked for the company that brought the place." she explained.

Liz and I shared a look. Once again, the victim was involved in selling the place. The more we heard about the case, the more it seemed whatever was doing all the killings, didn't want to leave the hotel.

Susan shook her head. "I don't understand..."

I turned back to her. "What?"

"Had a lot of bad luck around here." she sighed. "Look, if you'd like to check out, I'll give you a full refund."

"No, thanks." I shook my head, offering a polite smile. "We don't scare that easy."

...

I turned into our room, pulling the key out of the lock before closing the door behind me as I headed for my bag. Liz was downstairs, talking to the maid to see if she saw anything out of the ordinary.

"There's been another one. Some guy hung himself in his room." I told Sam.

He on a chair in the middle of the room, just sitting there. But I didn't look to him. I had more pressing things to do. Like figure out what the hell was going on.

"Yeah. I saw."

"We gotta figure this out and fast. What'd you find out about Granny?"

"You're bossy."

 _What?_ I turned to him, confused. "What?"

"You're bossy." he shrugged as if it were obvious. "And short." he chuckled.

 _Oh, my God_. "Are you drunk?"

"Yeah. So?" he shrugged again. "Stupid."

"Dude, what are you thinking? We're working a case."

But his smile fell then and he looked away. "That guy who hung himself. I couldn't save him."

"What are you talking about? You didn't know. You couldn't have done anything."

"That's an excuse, Dean. I should've found a way to save him. I should've saved Ava too."

"Yeah, well, you can't save everyone, even you said that." I reminded him, moving over to his chair.

He slammed his fist on the table next to him. "No, Dean! You don't understand, all right. The more people I save, the more I can change."

"Change what?" he wasn't making any sense.

"My destiny, Dean!"

"All right, time for bed. Come on, Sasquatch." I leaned over and grabbed his arm, helping him to his feet. "Come on."

"I need you to watch out for me."

"I always do." I assured him.

"No, no, no!" he pushed me away. "You have to _watch_ out for me. All right? And if I ever turn into something that I'm not, you have to kill me."

I shook my head, reaching for him again. "Sam." this was getting on my nerves.

But he just pushed me away again. "Dean, dad told you to do it. You have to."

"Yeah? Well, dad's an ass. He never should've said anything. You don't do that. You don't lay that crap on your kids."

"No, he was right to say it." he insisted. "Who knows what I might become? Even now, everyone around me dies."

"Yeah, well, I'm not dying, okay? And neither are you." I grabbed him and turned him to his bed. "Come on, sit down." I placed him on the mattress.

"No, please, Dean, you're the only one who can do it." he grabbed my shirt, holding me there. "Promise. Dean, please."

"Don't ask that of me."

"You have to promise me."

The desperate and scared look in his eyes, the fact he wasn't letting it go... I sighed. "I promise."

He let out a breath then, as he nodded. "Thanks. Thank you." letting go of my shirt he grabbed my face.

Yeah, that was enough. "All right." I grabbed his hand and moved it from my face as I laid him down on the bed and pulled his legs up.

As I sat on the bed next to his I watched as he rolled over on to his stomach, hugging the pillow as he drifted off to sleep. He was a mess and I didn't know what I was supposed to do it fix or help him...

Running a hand over my face, I looked away, seeing Liz standing in the door way watching us.

**Bamby**


	12. Crossing the Line

**EPOV**

I watched Dean as he got up off the bed next to Sam's and quietly moved to the door, stepping out of the room to join me in the hall. "I'm guessing you heard all of that?" he asked as he closed the door behind him.

"Only if you want me to."

He chuckled lightly, amused for a moment before he let out a sigh and shook his head. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do here, Liz. My brother is falling apart and I don't know how to keep him together." I could see the stress in his tired eyes.

Sighing, I stepped closer to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Just be there for him. Be the brother he needs."

"I can't kill him."

I flinched at the words. Sam and I were friends. Hell, I'd even call him a best friend. So the idea of him turning 'evil', it terrified me. He was one of the kindest, sweetest people I knew. There was no way he could become evil. The idea of him going bad and Dean killing him... It scared me.

"You won't have to." I assured him, giving a light smile. "Sam could never turn into a monster. Not when he has a brother like you keeping an eye on him."

He looked up at me, searching my eyes.

I wondered if I helped with the stress or if I made it worse. Sometimes I felt guilty for being around. Maybe I was a distraction keeping Dean from taking care of his brother? Maybe I was a risk that could draw more hunters their way? Maybe I was just simply annoying?

As my mind wondered, I was caught by surprise when Dean leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine.

With my mind now confused and fuzzy from the kiss, it took a moment for it to actually register. Dean was warm, and surprisingly soft. He smelt like leather, peppermint and the distinctive smell I would always associate with him. He was gentle, yet rough. His kiss asking if it was okay, while taking what he wanted all at the same time.

All I could do was kiss him back.

Months of flirting. Months of coming close to this, but never crossing the line. I'd imagined what kissing Dean would be like but I'd never thought it would be like this.

The desire and heat that I'd been holding back for sometime now was making itself known. It was singing in praise at every touch, every second the two of us stayed like this. Never had a kiss felt so right. Never had _anything_ felt this right. It was like every cell, every fibre inside me was now awake, aware of what was happening, and thanking the stars, moon and sun.

My head was dizzy with desire. My heart was racing with anticipation. My hands shook with nerves. My stomach flipped with excitement. Everything inside me was alive.

When Dean turned us around and pressed me against our room door, I was taken by surprise again. His lips pressed against mine with more urgency as his hands grasped my waist. His body moulded against me, I found myself now stuck between him and the door, unable to move or escape. Not that I wanted to. My own hands came up to grasp his hair as I finally dived into the kiss as much as him. Grabbing him and pulling him closer. Wanting more and everything. All I could get, all he would give me. I wanted it all.

That was until I remembered. Where we were... What we were doing...

Pushing him away, I looked to the ground, shaking my head. "We can't do this, Dean."

"Why not?" he grinned, leaning in closer. "We both want this. We've wanted this for a while." that grin was killing me.

"Yeah. I do... No point in denying it." I noted as I looked him in the eyes again. "But that doesn't mean we should."

It took a moment as he searched my eyes, looking for a reason. When he finally found one, I'd suddenly wish he'd stayed quiet. "Is this about Gordon?" my silence was his answer. "What happened with him, won't happen with me. I promise."

"He's not the only hunter I've slept with, Dean. And they all stabbed me in the back. Gordon was just my last."

"I'd never let anything happen to you. Not on purpose. You know that." he lifted my chin so I'd look at him. "Hey. You can trust me."

He was right. All the excuses in the world couldn't change the fact that Sam and Dean would do anything for me, just like I'd do anything for them. We were... I guess we were kinda like family now...

"I know." I nodded. "But, Dean, you're only doing this because you're upset about Sam and everything. By the time morning comes, you'll have wished you'd never done anything."

"You're wrong." he insisted.

But I didn't believe him. "I tell you what. Give it some time. Think it over. Wait until everything with Sam blows over. If you still think this is what you want, then okay. Maybe we'll see."

Sighing, he nodded as he stepped back, seeing no point in trying anymore- for the time being at least. "You should probably head to bed. Get some rest."

"Where are you gonna go?"

"I'm gonna look for some answers." he answered as he turned and walked down the hall, leaving me standing there alone.

**DPOV**

I headed straight for the bar where I found Sherwin cleaning up. Other than that, the place was empty.

Things with Liz left me feeling more stressed and tired. She was right in a way. I probably wouldn't have kissed her if it wasn't for all the drama. But she was also wrong. I'd wanted to kiss her since I met her. I wanted a lot more than that. If we'd gone through with it, I wouldn't have regretted it later.

Any idiot that regretted sleeping with her, or being with her in anyway, or screwed it up- by using her as bait, for example- was a douche. A stupid, moronic, empty-headed, douche, and she deserved a lot better than that.

"Find any good antiques?" Sherwin asked as I took a seat at the bar.

"No." I shook my head. "No. Got distracted."

"Have a drink." he grabbed a glass before pouring me a drink.

"Thanks." I nodded. "So, poor guy. Killing himself."

"That kind of thing seems to be going around lately."

"Yeah, yeah. I heard about the other ones. It's almost like this hotel is cursed or something."

"Every hotel has its spilled blood. If people only knew what's gone on in some of those rooms they've checked into..."

"You know a lot about this place, don't you?"

"Down to the last nail."

"I'd love to hear some stories."

He paused and looked to me with a slight grin on his face. "Boy, you should never say that to an old man."

...

I followed Sherwin up the stairs as he gestured to some photos on the wall. "This is little Miss Susan and her mother, Rose. Happier days."

"They're not happy now?"

"Well, would you be, leaving the only home you ever knew?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Never really knew one."

"Well, this is Rose's home. It's been in the family over a century. Used to be the family estate. And now she gets to live in some senior living graveyard and they tear this place down."

"That's too bad." I noted as we started down the stairs again, looking at more photos. "I hear Rose isn't feeling well either."

"No, she isn't."

"What's wrong with her?"

"It's not my business to say."

Not pressing for more, I looked to some photos on a table, noticing one where a little girl sat on an African American woman's lap. "Who's this?"

"That's Rose." Sherwin lifted the photo off the table. "When she was a little girl."

The woman wore a Hoodoo cross on her uniform. Just like the ones Sam found around the hotel. "Who's that with her?"

"That's her nanny, Marie. She looked after Rose more than her own mother."

**EPOV**

I sat on the bed, looking over at Sam as he knelt by the toilet in the bathroom, groaning and moaning. He was clearly regretting all the alcohol he'd drunk last night.

Dean walked back into the room, grinning at his brother. "How are you feeling, Sammy?" he laughed. "I guess mixing whiskey and Jager wasn't such a gangbuster idea, was it?"

"You're mean." I noted.

He just turned his grin to me, offering a wink. "I'll bet you don't remember a thing from last night, do you?" he asked Sam.

After Dean came back to the room last night he'd climbed into the bed with me. We were sharing, so that was fine. But then I'd smelt the whiskey on his breath, and felt his arm wrap around me as he fell asleep. That was a little less fine.

In the morning, before Sam had woken up, I'd rolled over to find Dean already awake. We hadn't said anything, but there'd been an understanding in our silence. We weren't going to mention anything to anyone. Not even to ourselves. At least not for a while. The last thing I wanted was for things to be awkward and uncomfortable between us.

So the fact we were being our normal, joking selves, made me feel a little less anxious about the whole situation.

Sam groaned. "I can still taste the tequila."

Dean nodded. "You know there's a really good hangover remedy. It's, uh, it's a greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray."

Sam groaned as he leaned into the toilet more. "Oh, I hate you."

"I know you do." Dean looked so proud of himself.

I got off the bed and walked into the bathroom to kneel by Sam. Rubbing his back gently, I stayed silent as I helped him feel a little better.

"So, turns out when Grandma Rose was a tyke she had a Creole nanny who wore a Hoodoo necklace." Dean noted as he walked into the bathroom as well, only to stop at the smell. "How can you be kneeling so close to him when it smells this bad?" he shook his head at me as his face twisted in disgust.

I shrugged. "My sister used to sneak out and get drunk when my mum was at work on the weekends. I'd take care of her in the morning. So I'm used to it."

"Wait...you had a sister?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Yes."

"So, do we think the nanny taught Rose Hoodoo?" Sam asked, getting back to the point.

"Yes, I do." Dean nodded.

"By the way, the maid saw nothing last night." I noted. "Felt no cold spots. Power was fine. It just looked like an ordinary suicide, apparently."

"All right." Sam pulled himself up as I helped him. Once he was on his feet he turned to Dean. "I think it's time we talk to Rose."

Dean frowned, looking away from Sam. "You need to brush your teeth first." he told him before walking out of the room.

I followed, shaking my head. "I repeat. You're mean."

He just grinned again. "You love it." pointing to my clothes, he gestured to my bag. "I suggest you get dressed if you're planning on coming with us.

I looked down at my black shorts and grey tank I slept in. "They're comfy." when his grin widened as he looked me up and down, I grabbed the nearest thing and threw it at him. It was a cushion. A soft, harmless cushion.

He caught it effortlessly, stepping closer to me. _Too_ close. "That the best you got?"

 _So much for things being normal..._ I swallowed hard, watching as his eyes lowered to look at my lips. _You have no idea how much I want to kiss him right now._ "Maybe I should stay here. Let you guys go see Grandma Rose."

"Everything okay?"

Dean stepped back and turned to his brother, nodding. "Everything's fine, Sammy. Let's go."

**SPOV**

"Is there something I should know?" I asked Dean as we headed for the private door to Susan's home in the hotel.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and Lizzie. Did something happen I should know about?"

"Nope." he shook his head.

I could tell he was lying. It was pretty obvious there was something going on between the two of them. The way I caught them looking at each other in the room. I'd woken up in the middle of the night for a moment or two and caught Dean's arm around her. They'd been spooning. Dean never spooned...

But if they weren't going to admit it, then I wasn't going to press for anything else. I'd just wait. The truth would come out eventually.

Reaching Susan's door, I knocked on it. "Hello? Susan?" there was no answer. "Clear?"

Dean looked around and hummed a yes. Getting down to my knees, I picked the lock of the door before we headed into the room. We made our way up some stair and down a hall to a room where an elderly woman sat on a wheelchair, looking out the window as it rained.

"Mrs Thompson?" I asked as we moved closer to her. "Mrs Thompson?" I repeated when she didn't say anything. "Rose?" we came to stand in front of her then. "Hi, Mrs Thompson, we're not here to hurt you, it's okay. We-" I cut myself short as I noticed something. "Rose?"

She didn't move or speak...

Grabbing Dean's arm, I lead him to the side to speak to him so she couldn't hear. "This woman's had a stroke."

"Yeah, but Hoodoo's hands-on." he noted. "You gotta mix herbs and chant, build an altar."

"So it can't be Rose. Heck, maybe it's not even Hoodoo."

"You know, she could be faking."

"Yeah, what do you wanna do, poke her with stick?" I asked, and he shrugged as if the idea wasn't a bad one. "Dude, you're not gonna poke her with a stick."

"What the hell?" we both turned to see Susan walk into the room. "What are you doing in here?"

"The door was-"

"We just wanted to ask Rose-"

She cut us both off. "She's scared out of her wits. I want you out of my hotel in two minutes or I'm calling the cops."

We didn't need to be told twice. Turning on our heels, we left.

**EPOV**

"I cannot believe you and Sam got us kicked out of the hotel." I shook my head.

Sam had suggested me split up to watch the hotel. Seeing as the front of the hotel was open, one person would watch there while the other two covered the back. I was just about to take the front spot, so I could be by myself, but before I could, Dean had offered to take me around back while Sam went off on his own.

Now here we were, hiding in some bushes, watching the building, in yelling distance to Sam. Dean was leaned up against a tree while I stood a few steps in front, my back to him.

"We didn't mean to. Probably wouldn't have if you'd come and kept an eye out."

"You're blaming me?" I laughed coldly. "Of course you are."

"I'm not blaming you." he responded. I could hear the sound of his footsteps approaching as he continued to talk. "I just mean... Things go better when we work as a team." he noted, coming to stand next to me.

"You hardly know me, Dean. Are you sure you can trust me?"

"I know you." he argued. "You're our friend. I trust you more than I trust most people."

Sighing, I turned to him. "I've only been around for a couple of months. I'm just a shiny new toy. Soon enough, you and Sam won't want me around anymore. Your story is about two brothers on the road. My story is about hunting on my own. I won't let there be any more."

Frowning, he shook his head, opening his mouth to speak. But before he could say anything, Sam's voice caught our attention as he called out for us, panicked. We ran as fast as we can, just catching sight of her car driving into a tree by the playground at the front of the hotel. The swings were swinging, the air cold.

Dean hurried over to where Sam and Susan were on the ground unharmed. "Come on, come on, let's get inside." he helped Susan up as I offered Sam a hand. "Let's go. Come on."

As we headed for the hotel, I looked over my shoulder at the car and playground. I wasn't too sure about the Hoodoo curse theory anymore.

**SPOV**

"Whiskey." was all Susan said as we entered the bar and restaurant part of the hotel.

"Sure." I nodded, setting her down at one of the tables. "I know the feeling." I muttered, moving to grab a bottle and glass from the bar.

"What the hell happened out there?"

"You want the truth?" Dean asked.

"Of course." she answered as if that was obvious.

"Well, first we thought it was some sort of Hoodoo curse." he started to explain as I handed her a drink. "But that out there? That was definitely a spirit."

Susan looked up at Dean, shaking her head. "You're insane."

"Let's skip that part shall we, and get straight to the saving you ass part." Lizzie sat across from Susan, not giving the woman a chance to take it all in. "There is something here that doesn't want you to sell this place. To keep you from doing that, it will kill you."

"Your car didn't exactly try to run you over on its own..." Dean shrugged. He paused, a slight frown on his face as he corrected himself. "I mean, I guess it did, technically, but the spirit can-"

I cut him off, needing to get back on track. "Susan, when did your mother have her stroke?"

"What's that have to-"

"Just answer him." Lizzie told her, patience gone.

"About a month ago."

"Right before the killings began. See?" I nudged Dean. "What if Rose was working Hoodoo, but not to hurt anyone, to protect them?"

He nodded. "She was using the five spot urns to ward off the spirit."

"Then she had a stroke and couldn't finish." Lizzie added.

"I don't believe this." Susan shook her head.

"Believe what you want, all right." I sat next to Lizzie, looking to Susan. "But the fact is, you and your family are in danger. You need to clear everybody out. Your employees, your mother, your daughters, everyone."

Susan's mouth opened to respond before she looked to me confused. "I only have one daughter."

"One?" that didn't make sense.

"I thought Tyler had a sister named Maggie." Dean noted.

Susan looked to each of us. "Maggie's imaginary."

Lizzie stood up in an instant. "Susan, where's your daughter?"

**DPOV**

"Tyler?" Susan was panicked as she ran up the stairs and towards the part of the hotel that served as the home for her and her family. "Tyler?!" she threw the door open.

Sam, Liz and I stepped inside right after her. We came to a stop at the scene laid before our eyes. Doll were strewn across the room, broken and damaged. There porcelain faces caved in and shattered. Others still sat on the shelves, but no longer set the way they looked when we'd first seen them.

"Oh, my God." Susan eyes fell on the dolls, her panic growing. "Tyler." turning, she ran for the stairs that lead to the next floor of her home. "Tyler?"

Sam, Liz and I didn't need a word spoken. We understood the urgency of the situation, and so we moved the moment she was gone. Each of us checked a closet each. We looked under tables and behind doors.

"She's not here." Susan came back into the room, visibly shaking.

Liz stepped up to her, resting a calming hand on the woman's shoulder. "You gotta tell us what you know about Maggie."

"Not much, uh... Tyler's been talking about her since mum got sick."

"Okay. Did you ever know anyone by that name?" Sam asked as we stepped up to the two women.

"No." Susan shook her head.

"Think." I pushed. "It could be someone that lived here. Might have passed away."

In a moment, it was as if Susan remembered something. "My God, my mum had a sister named Margaret. She barely spoke about her."

Sam nodded. "Did Margaret happen to die here when she was a kid?"

Susan's eyes were wide with fear and confusion. Yet she still managed to give a straight answer. "She drowned in the pool."

With no time to waste, I gestured to the door. "Come on." the four of us hurried out, hoping that by some chance, we'd get there in time to keep Tyler safe.

**EPOV**

My heart was pounding in my chest as my feet hit the hard ground. We ran as fast as we could, heading for the pool house. There was a desperate urge pushing me a little more than usual. This was a family, a child. We couldn't lose this one. We couldn't lose them.

Reaching the door, Susan pushed against one of the windows to look in. Her body tensed before she called out, "Tyler!"

Dean and Sam were trying to break down the door, but it wouldn't budge. The glass wouldn't even break.

I stepped up next to Susan and peered in. Tyler was on the wrong side of the railing, looking down at the pool which was on the level below her. Her body language told me she didn't want to jump. But the way she looked to her left told me Margaret was right there to make sure she did.

"Tyler, don't!" I yelled out, hoping to get the girls attention.

She turned then, her eyes landing on Susan. "Mummy."

What happened next had my heart sink.

One moment Tyler was standing there, her eyes filled with fear, her voice trembling. Then she was falling... I wasn't sure how it happened, but my money would be on Margaret. From outside, we could hear her scream.

I turned to Susan. "Is there another way in?"

"Around back."

"Let's go." Dean grabbed her arm and nodded to me before the three of us headed off, leaving Sam to keep trying this door.

We ran around as fast as we could. My heart was pounding in my chest, pulse thrumming in my ears. Adrenaline pumped through my veins like rocket fuel, keeping my mind focused. Any pain or exhaustion I should be feeling, would have to come later.

As we reached the back door, Susan tried to open it, but found this one was locked as well.

Dean didn't stop as he spoke to her. "Stand back." she did as he said, stepping away before he lifted his foot and kicked at the door. "Son of a bitch." the door wouldn't budge.

"Screw this." I grabbed a nearby pot, pulling the dying plant out of it. " Dean, move!" was all I said before I stepped up to the door and pounded the heavy pot against the door handle.

Eventually the handle broke off. With that, we hurried in, rushing for the pool. But as we came around the corner, we could see Sam laying Tyler down on the tile floors. She wasn't moving.

"No!"

I fell to my knees by the little girl, scraping my hand on a broken tile as I did. But I didn't care. I hardly noticed. Instead, I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to Tyler's as I began to give her mouth to mouth.

When she coughed, I pulled back, letting Sam help her sit up.

Susan knelt down by her daughter, tears streaming down her face. "Tyler! Oh, my God. Thank you." she nodded to me, holding her daughter to her chest. "Thank you so much."

"Mummy." Tyler leaned against her mother.

Susan pressed a kiss to her head. "Yeah, baby, I'm here."

"Tyler, do you see Maggie anywhere?" Sam asked her.

She looked up and shook her head. "No, she's gone."

_So, where the hell is she?_

...

I stood in the doll room with Dean and Sam as Susan took Tyler upstairs to get Rose. There was something playing on my nerves. Something didn't feel right about how it all ended. Why did Maggie leave? Why did she stop? Where did she go?

Dean seemed to be thinking the same thing as me. "I don't get it. Did Maggie just stop?"

Sam shrugged. "Seems like it."

"Well, where the hell did she go?" Dean asked just before we heard Susan scream.

The three of us ran for the stairs, taking two or three at a time as we hurried for Rose's room. Sam was first to enter, throwing the door open, only to come to a complete stop. Dean and I did the same as we looked to Rose. She was sitting in her wheelchair... dead.

...

"The paramedics said it was another stroke." Susan explained as the coroner wheeled Rose's body into their van. "You think... Margaret could have had something to do with it?"

Dean shrugged. "We don't know."

"But it's possible." Sam nodded. There was no need to keep the truth from her. Not anymore. Not after all that had happened to her.

Seeing the sad look in her eyes, I quickly spoke up. "Susan, we're sorry."

She quickly shook her head. "My God, no, you have nothing to apologise for. You've all given me everything." the sound of footsteps had her turn as Tyler walked out of the hotel. "Ready to go, kiddo?"

"Yeah." Tyler stepped up to her mum.

"Tyler, you're sure Maggie's not around anymore?" Dean asked, needing to make sure.

"I'm sure. I'd see her." she answered simply.

Susan pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Come on."

Dean, Sam and I followed the mother and daughter as they headed for the taxi waiting for them.

While staying a few steps back, Dean spoke lowly so they wouldn't hear. "Well, I guess whatever's going on must be over."

I nodded. "Hope so."

Reaching the taxi, Sam opened the door for Susan as she helped her daughter in. "You two take care of yourselves, all right?" he offered a kind smile.

She didn't say anything to him. Simply turned and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. As she stepped back, her eyes fell on me. "Thank you. All of you."

"Any time." I gave her a small smile as well, watching as she stepped into the taxi.

Once the car drove off, Dean gave Sam's shoulder a hard pat. "Well, you saved the mum, you saved the girl. Not a bad day." he nodded to his brother. "Of course, I could have saved them myself but I didn't want you to feel useless."

I rolled my eyes, pushing at him playfully. "Get over yourself, Winchester."

Sam gestured to me. "Technically it was Lizzie who saved Tyler."

"Well, one out of two is still a good day." Dean shrugged. "Feels good getting back in the saddle, doesn't it?"

Reaching the Impala, Sam nodded. "Yeah. Yeah it does. But it doesn't change what we talked about last night, Dean."

"We talked about a lot of thing last night." Dean tried to play it cool, but I suddenly found myself frozen.

Sam sighed. "You know what I mean."

Dean's grin wavered. "You were wasted."

"But you weren't." Sam noted. "And you promised." Sam noted before getting in the car.

Dean and I didn't move at first. He stood there, looking at where Sam had been standing, while I kept my eyes glued to the ground. I felt too awkward to say or do anything... Not wanting to upset either of them. Hoping that if I stayed where I was until Dean moved, I wouldn't be noticed.

But that seemed to be useless as Dean suddenly turned to me. "Let me see your hand."

Caught by surprise, I still didn't move. "Huh?"

Shaking his head, he reached for my hand, lifting it to take a look at the cut I'd gotten from the tile floors in the pool room. "It's still bleeding... does it hurt?" his finger brushed the cut.

I hissed a little, but other than a little pain it was fine. "I'm okay, Dean."

He didn't say anything, didn't look me in the eyes. Letting my hand go, he grabbed his flannel over-shirt that he wore under his leather jacket. I went to protest, but before I could, he tore a strip of the material. My hand now back in his, he wrapped it up with the strip of cloth.

"Dean..."

"I know you don't want to talk about it. But I've been thinking..." his eyes met mine then. "I wouldn't have regretted it."

Letting go of my hand again, he then opened his door and slid into the car, leaving me standing there, my jaw hanging in shock as his words ran through my mind over and over...

**Bamby**


	13. Mandroid

**DPOV**

"So, what's it like, being an FBI guy?" Franny, the sales assistant at a jewellery store asked me.

The store had been robbed by one of their own a couple of days ago. Sam had found the case, and noticed a bank had been robbed in the same city, by one of its workers. It seemed odd enough, so Sam, Liz and I had set off to find out what was going on.

Sam was currently talking to the manager, while Liz spoke to a security guard. Or well... She was flirting with him. But that was none of my business. Nothing had happened between us since we'd kissed at the hotel a couple of weeks ago. As far as I could tell, she was still determined to not hook up with a hunter.

So if there wasn't going to be anything between us, I didn't mind her flirting with someone else. Hell, I was flirting with Franny. But I'd be lying if I wasn't a little jealous.

"Well, it's dangerous. And the secrets we gotta keep." I chuckled lightly. "Oh, God, the secrets. But mostly, it's lonely."

"I so know what you mean."

"Yeah." I nodded at her before getting back on track. "So, Helena killed herself?"

"Well, the cops said she dropped a hairdryer in the bath and fried herself. They should know, right?"

"Yeah. Well, thanks, Frannie. Think that's all I need."

"Really? I mean, because I've got more. You know, if you wanted to interview me... Sometime, in private?"

I thought about it for a moment, wondering if it would be a good idea. But I didn't see why not, so I simply nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. You're a true patriot, you really are. Why don't you write your number down?"

**SPOV**

"Helena was our head buyer. She was family, you know?" the manager explained as he moved to stand behind one of the counters. "She said it herself. Every Christmas part she said we were the only family she had."

"So, there were never any signs that she'd do this?"

"No, I still can't believe it, even now. That night, Helena came back to the store after closing. Cleaned out all the display cases and the safe. Edgar, our night watchman, he caught her in the act. He didn't know what to do. He'd known her for years. He called me at home."

"And that's when she took his gun?"

"She shot him in the face. I-I heard him die... Over the phone."

"Any idea what her motive could've been?"

"What motive? It makes no sense. Why steal all those diamonds, jewellery, then what, just dump it somewhere? Just hide it and then go home and..."

I didn't need him to elaborate. I'd read about the suicide. "So, you never saw the security camera footage yourself, then."

The manager shook his head. "The police, they took all the tapes, first thing."

Dean sighed, I looked over my shoulder to see him standing behind me. "Of course they did."

**EPOV**

"Well, you have been a big help, sir." I smiled at the security guard.

He'd only been working here a few months, but he'd met Helena and had been trained by the night watchman she'd killed. He didn't have a lot of information, but whatever I could get was better than nothing.

"Please, call me Jacob."

He was a good-looking guy. A few years older than me. Tall, dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, scruff on his jaw. Even though he was dressed in uniform, I could tell her was a fit looking guy underneath.

"Jacob." my smile widened as I pulled out a card from my pocket. "If you remember anything else, why don't you give me a call?"

He grinned, taking the card. "Or maybe I'll just call you to set up a date."

My smile widened. "I think I'd like that."

The sound of someone clearing their throat had us both look to see Sam and Dean now standing a couple of feet from us. Sam looked amused, while Dean looked bored.

"Right." I turned back to Jacob. "Thanks again for all your help. I, uh... I gotta go."

"Okay, yeah, sure." nodding he gestured to the card in his hand. "I'll call you."

Before I could respond, Dean's hand grabbed my arm as he started leading me out of the store and towards the car, Sam following behind us.

**DPOV**

"This is it." Sam pointed to the house I'd stopped in front of.

"Frigging cops." I groaned, getting out of the car.

Liz shrugged as she stepped on to the road as well. "They're just doing their job, Dean."

"No, they're doing our job. Only they don't know it, so they suck at it." I argued as we started for the front door. "Talk to me about this bank, Sam."

"Milwaukee National trust. It was hit a month ago."

"Same M.O. as the jewellery store?" I asked.

He nodded. "Inside job, long-time employee. The never-in-a-million-years type. Dude robs the bank, then goes home and supposedly commits suicide."

"And this guy Reznick was the security guard on duty?" I gestured to the front door as we neared it.

Liz stepped in then, answering. "He was beaten unconscious by the teller who heisted the place. Ronald Reznick."

Reaching the door, Sam knocked on the glass. "Mr Reznick?"

Suddenly a bright light turned on, practically blinding us with its voltage.

I looked away quickly. "Son of a-"

Movement caught our attention as Ronald stepped up to the door cautiously.

"FBI, Mr Reznick." Sam introduced us.

"Let me see the badges." the three of us did as Ron asked, pressing out fake badges to the glass. He leaned forward to look at them before looking at each of our faces. "Already gave my statement to the police."

I nodded. "Yeah, listen. Ronald, just some things about your statement. We want some clarification."

"You read it?"

"Sure did." I gave him a friendly smile.

"Come to listen to what I gotta say?" he sounded surprised.

"Why else would we be here, Mr Reznick?" Liz spoke.

His eyes fell on Liz. His face went a little pale as he stood a little straighter. "Well, come on in." he opened the door and stepped to the side. "Ladies first."

 _Oh, God_.

"Such a gentleman. Thank you." Liz nodded, walking in. She tugged off her coat, draping it over her arm.

The first time I saw her in her FBI get up- which consisted of a black pants suit and white collared shirt, with a long grey coat sometimes and her hair pulled up neatly- I couldn't get over how she could look good in ripped jeans and her leather jacket, but also make a _pants suit_ look sexy...

"This way." Ronald shyly smiled to her as he led us down a hallway. "None of the cops ever called me back. Not after I told them what was really going on. They all thought I was crazy."

Liz didn't drop the sweet act as she walked beside him. "Well, we're here to listen."

His smile widened as he stepped into a room, going on. I was listening to what he had to say, but at the same time, I couldn't stop looking at the walls. A corner was covered in posters, pictures, maps and articles... All about aliens...

"First off, Juan Morales never robbed the Milwaukee National Trust. That I guarantee. See me and Juan were friends. He used to come back to the bank on my night shifts and we'd play cards."

"So you let him into the bank that night. After hours." Sam noted.

"The thing I let into the bank... Wasn't Juan. I mean, it had his face, but it wasn't _his_ face. Every detail was perfect, but too perfect. You know, like if a doll maker made it, like if I was talking to a big Juan doll."

Sam looked at the guy as if he were crazy. "A 'Juan doll'?"

Ronald ignored him as he offered Liz some articles. "Look. This wasn't the only time this happened. There was this jewellery store too. And the cops and you guys, I mean, you just won't see it. Both crimes were pulled by the same thing."

"And what's that, Mr Reznick?" Sam asked.

Ron picked up a magazine with a robot on the cover. "Chinese been working on them and the Russians before that. Part man, part machine."

Liz pointed to the robot. "Isn't that from _Doctor Who_?"

I turned to her shocked that she'd know that- because I sure as hell had no idea. But before I could say anything, Ronald spoke again.

"Yes. But I'm talking about _real_ robot men. Like the Terminator but the kind that can change itself. Make itself look like other people."

That reference I got. "Like the one from _T2_."

"Exactly." Ron smiled at me, excited. "See, not just a robot. More of a, 'mandroid'."

"A mandroid?" Sam did not sound convinced. Which I didn't blame him, really. But he could have at least pretended.

Before Ronald could react, I quickly went on. "What makes you so sure about this, Ronald?"

His smile returned as he moved to a TV and slid a video into the player. "See, I made copies of all the security tapes. I knew once the cops got them they'd be buried." he explained as he pressed play. "Here. Now watch."

Sam, Liz and I took a seat on the couch as we watched Ronald fast forward the video until Juan appeared on the screen.

"Watch him, watch, watch. See? Look, there it is." he pressed pause. On the screen, we could see Juan's eyes, glowing. "You see, he's got the laser eyes."

That was no mandroid. That was a shapeshifter.

"Cops said it was some kind of reflected light. Some kind of 'camera flare'. Okay? Ain't no damn camera flare. They say I'm a post-trauma case. So what? Bank goes and fires me? It don't matter. The mandroid is still out there." he stood up and turned to us. "The law won't hunt this thing down, I'll do it myself.

"You see, this thing, it kills the real person. Makes it look like a suicide. Then it sort of, like, morphs into the person. Cases the job for a while till it knows that take is fat, and then finds its opening. Now these robberies, they're grouped together. So I figure the mandroid id holed up somewhere in the middle. Underground maybe. I don't know. Maybe that's where it recharges its mandroid batteries."

"Okay." Sam took a deep breath as he got to his feet. "I want you to listen very carefully. Because I'm about to tell you the gods' honest truth about all of this." he waited until Ron nodded before he went on. "There's no such thing as mandroids. There's nothing evil or inhuman going on out there. Just people. Nothing else, you understand?"

I had not expected that... Sam was usually the gentle one.

"The laser eyes-"

Sam cut him off. "Just a camera flare, Mr Reznick. See, I know you don't want to believe it, but your friend Juan robbed the bank and that's it."

Ron looked a little shocked at first, and then he was pissed. "Get out of my house! Now!"

"Sure." Sam nodded. "First things first..."

**EPOV**

Dean shook his head as he stood in front of the map of Milwaukee that we'd pinned to our hotel room wall. "Man, that has got to be the kicker, straight up. I mean, you tell that poor son of a bitch that... Wait, what did you say?" he asked Sam.

"We had to remand the tapes that he copied." I answered as I moved to sit on one of the beds, crossing my legs in front of me. "It's classified evidence of an ongoing investigation."

Dean laughed lightly. "That's messed up."

"What, are you pissed at me or something?" Sam turned to him from where he sat by the TV.

"No, I just think it's creepy how good of a fed you are." Dean shrugged. "I mean, come on. We could've at least thrown the guy a bone. He did some pretty good legwork here."

Sam scoffed. "Mandroid?"

"Well, except for that part, Dean's right." I nodded. "He seemed like a pretty decent guy."

"I liked him." Dean sat at the table in front of some blueprints. "He's not that different from us. People think we're crazy."

"Yeah, but he's not a hunter." Sam noted. "He's just a guy who stumbled onto something real. If he went up against this thing, he'd get torn apart. Better to stay in the dark and stay alive."

Dean shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Shaking his head, Sam turned back to the T.V. where he looked to the paused screen. "Shapeshifter. Just like back at St. Louis. Same retinal reaction to video."

"Eyes flare at the camera." sighing, Dean looked to the screen as well. "I hate those frigging things."

"You think I don't?" Sam asked him.

"Well, yeah. But one didn't turn into you and frame you for murder."

"I haven't dealt with a shifter for years." the excitement in my voice couldn't be controlled. I just loved my job so much.

"They like to be laid up underground. Preferably the sewer." Dean noted. "All the robberies have been connected so far, right. To the, uh, sewer lain layout. There's one more bank lined up on that sewer main."

**DPOV**

"We haven't had any flags go up on our system yet." the security guard noted as he led Sam, Liz and I towards the security office in the bank.

"No, no, this is a glitch in the overall grid." I explained. "Just wanna make sure the branch monitors are kosher."

The guard nodded. "Better to be safe than sorry."

"That's the plan." I agreed.

As he opened the door to the office, he took a step to the side so we could enter. "Alrighty. You three need anything else?"

"No, we'll be in and out before you know it." Sam assured him. "Just a routine check."

"Thanks for all your assistance." Liz offered the guard a smile before she set off towards the screens playing security footage live.

"Okie dokie." the guard went to leave before leaning closer to Sam and me. "Don't know how you two work with a beauty like her around."

I chuckled lightly. "I hear ya."

Even in the fake uniforms we'd pulled together for the job, Liz still looked good. Her hair pulled through the hole at the back of her cap. Belt around her waist, pulling in her coveralls and showing off her curves. She looked like every guy's working-girl fantasy come to life.

Once the guard was gone, Sam and I moved to join Liz. "I like him. He says okie dokie."

"What if he's the shifter?" Sam asked, taking a seat.

"Then we follow him home and put a silver bullet through his chest plate." I answered, taking the other seat.

"Sounds like a plan." Liz nodded as she turned to us. Pausing, she frowned. "Don't I get a seat?" I swear, Sam was about to jump up and offer her his. But instead, she just shrugged and crouched down on the floor between us. "So we expecting this to take long?"

"Probably should have brought popcorn." I sighed.

**SPOV**

"Well, looks like Mr Okie-dokie, is okie dokie." Dean grinned as he nodded to the guard on the screen.

"Maybe we jumped the gun on this." I shrugged, starting to feel a little unsure about the job. "I mean, we don't even know it's here. Maybe we should just go on back to the sewers and-" I cut myself short as Dean zoomed in on one of the tellers, centring on her behind.

"Oh, come on." Lizzie groaned, getting to her feet and leaning over to take the controls from Dean.

"What are you doing?" he fought her, pulling at them, causing the screen to zoom in and out over and over.

"We're supposed to be looking for eyes." she snapped. "If I wanted to look at someone's ass, I would have left you two to the job and gone out with Jacob."

"The security guard from the jewellery store?" Dean almost sounded offended.

"Yes."

"Seriously? That guy was such a douche."

Something had changed between Dean and Lizzie. It was only a small change, but I'd still noticed it. Ever since the hotel case we took a couple of weeks ago. There was something different. Their flirting wasn't as bad, and they'd both started hooking up with more people than usual... I couldn't help but wonder if something had happened between them.

"Hold on, stop." Dean grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back as he leaned towards one of the screens more. "Hello, freak." sure enough, the camera was focused on the shifter.

"Got him." I got to my feet and headed for the door.

"Wait." Lizzie called. "I think we have a problem?"

"What?" I asked, coming back to the chairs and desk.

Dean gestured to one of the screens where Ronald was chaining up the entrance- which was the only exit- of the bank. "Hello, Ronald."

**EPOV**

"And you said we shouldn't bring guns." Dean scolded Sam as the three of us made our way towards Ron, where he had hostages in the main room.

"I didn't know this was gonna happen."

"Sam has a point, Dean."

Dean shook his head. "Just let Liz and me do the talking. I don't think he likes you very much, Agent Johns." he then grabbed my arm to stop me as we reached the last corner. "Don't do anything stupid. You stay close to Sam or me, you got it?"

"I don't need a babysitter, Dean. I'm perfectly capable."

"Just do as I say." he didn't leave any room for argument before he turned around the corner cautiously, watching Ronald.

Ron held up a key on a cord necklace as he spoke to the hostages he'd gathered up. "Now there's only one was in or out of here and I chained it up. So nobody's leaving, you understand?"

"Hey, buddy." Dean called. Ron spun on his heels to look at us. "Now, why don't you calm down? Just calm down."

"What the..." Ron lifted his gun, aiming it at us. "You! Get on the floor now."

"Okay, we're doing that." Dean nodded, all of us doing as we were told. "Just don't shoot anybody. Especially us."

"I knew it. As soon as you three left. You ain't FBI. No FBI is that hot." he pointed the gun at me. "Who are you?"

"Whoa!" my hands were raised as my eyes stayed focussed on the end of the gun. "You wanna point that somewhere else."

Dean shifted closer to me slightly. "Don't be stupid, Ron."

"Who are you working for?" Ron continued the questions, ignoring both Dean and I. "The Men in Black? You working for the mandroid?"

"We're not working for the mandroid!" Sam snapped.

"You shut up!" Ron yelled at him. "I ain't talking to you, I don't like you!"

Sam calmed down. "Fair enough."

Turning to the hostages, Ron pointed to one of the men. "Get over there, frisk them down, make sure they got no weapons. Go."

The man frisked Sam first and found nothing. He then moved to me.

"Touch anything you're not supposed to, and I will personally break all of your fingers. And then Ron's." I warned, holding enough venom in my voice to even make Dean and Sam flinch.

The man frisked me, carefully. His hands patting me down, while making sure not to touch _too_ much. He found nothing and moved to Dean, frisking him more than he did me. He found a sliver blade in Dean's boot.

"Now what have we here?" Ron gestured for the man to give him the blade.

Dean looked to Sam and me with a shrug. "I'm not just gonna walk in here naked."

Taking the blade, Ron the gestured back to the hostages. "Get back down." he ordered the man. Moving to one of the counters, he tossed the blade into a waste paper chute.

"We know you don't want to hurt anybody but that's exactly what's gonna happen if you keep waving that cannon around. Now, why don't you let these people go?" Dean suggested, trying to reason with Ron.

It didn't work. "No! I already told you. If nobody's gonna stop this thing, then I gotta do it myself."

"We believe you." Dean kept trying. "That's why we're here."

"You don't believe me. Nobody believes me. How could they?"

Dean sighed. "Come here."

"What? No."

"You're holding the gun, boss, you're calling the shots. I just wanna tell you something. Come here." listening to Dean, Ron carefully stepped closer to him. "It's the bank manager."

"What?"

"Why do you think we got these getups? Huh? We were monitoring the cameras in the back. We saw the manager." Dean explained. "We saw his eyes."

Ron leaned closer, intrigued. "His laser eyes?"

"Yes." Dean answered, before shaking his head and correcting himself. "No. We're running out of time, okay. We gotta find him before he changes, before he changes into someone else."

"Like I'm gonna listen to you." Ron pulled back, aiming the gun at Dean now. "You're a damn liar." carefully, Dean got to his feet, pissing Ron off more. "I'll shoot you. Get down!"

"Dean." my heart was racing. In a split second I pictured a million different ways Dean could end up lying dead next to me...

But Dean ignored both of us. "Take me, take me with you as a hostage. But we gotta act fast. 'Cause the longer we sit here, the more time he has to change. Look at me, man. I believe you. You're not crazy. There really is something inside this bank."

"All right." Ron nodded. "You come with me." he turned to the hostages. "But everyone else gets in the vault!"

...

"Come on, move. Move, move." Ron ordered as he led us all to the vault. Once the hostages, Sam and myself were in, he nodded to Dean. "And you lock it up"

I stepped closer to the door as Den began to close it. "I don't like this."

"You scared for me." he grinned.

But I didn't return the grin. I stayed serious. "Yes."

Realising I wasn't messing around, his grin fell. "I'll be fine." he assured me. Nodding to everyone else, he spoke to us all. "It's okay everyone, Just stay cool." with that, the door was closed.

"Who is that man?" a woman asked.

"He's my brother." Sam answered, clearly concerned.

If the woman heard the worry in his voice, she didn't react. Instead, she looked dreamily at the door. "He's so brave."

 _Give me a break_. I rolled my eyes, sliding against the wall a I sat by the door and began to wait.

**Bamby**


	14. Human

**DPOV**

Now out of the uniform and back in my normal clothes, I walked around the bank with Ron, moving into an office. "Check behind the desk." I told him as I headed for a door to another office.

I made it one, maybe two steps in, before I heard Ron slip on something. Rushing back in, I found him on the floor by a pile of shape-shifter skin.

He screamed and yelled, scrambling back. "What the hell is that?"

"Oh, great." sighing, I crouched down by the mess. "When it changes form, it sheds its old skin, so now it could be anybody."

"It's so weird." he picked a piece up, sniffing it. "It's robot skin is so lifelike."

"Okay, let's get something straight." I started, my patience gone. "It's not a mandroid. It's a shapeshifter."

"Shapeshifter?"

"Yeah." I gave a short nod. "It's human, more or less. Has human drives. In this case, it's money. But it generates its own skin. They can shape it to match someone else's features. Tall or short, male-"

"So it kills someone and takes their place?"

"Kills or doesn't, I don't think it matters." I answered as I started to search the desk.

"What are you doing?"

Picking up a letter opener, I looked it over and found an engraving that let me know it was made from silver. "Nice. You remember the old werewolf stories? Pretty much came from these guys. Silver is the only thing I've seen that hurts them." I told him, starting for the door. "Come on, Ronald."

...

As we walked through the halls of the bank, the sound of Ron chuckling had me stop and turn to him. "Are you nuts?"

He shook his head. "That's just it. I'm not nuts. I mean, I was so scared that I was losing my marbles. But this is real. I mean, I was right. Except for the mandroid thing. Thank you."

"Yeah, don't mention it." I continued for the vault again.

That's when the power shut off and the emergency light flicked on.

"Damn it. No, no, no."

"What? What is it?"

"They cut the power. It's their way of saying hi." I explained.

"Who?"

"The cops."

"The cops?"

"You weren't exactly a smooth criminal about this. You didn't even secure the security guard. He probably called them."

"I didn't think to-"

"Hang on, hang on, hang on. Let's just take a breath for a second, all right?" I sighed, looking to the high windows. "They probably got us surrounded. They cut the power to the cameras. No way of telling who the shape-shifter it. It's not looking good, Ron."

The last thing we needed was the cops to figure out Sam and I were here. I was still wanted for murder.

Liz was fine, as far as we knew. No one had seen her with us, so she was safe. But Sam? Everyone knew he was my brother, and never too far from me. So if either one of us were caught, things would not end well.

An unknown sound come from somewhere in the bank that wasn't by the vault.

I turned back to Ron again. "Did you here that?"

**EPOV**

"Has your brother always been so, um, wonderful?" Sherri- the woman who'd first started talking once we were locked up- hadn't stopped talking. It was irritating the hell out of me. "I mean, staring down that gun. And the way he played into that psycho's crazy head, telling him what he wanted to hear? He's like a real hero or something."

"Yeah." Sam smiled, entertaining her just to keep her calm. "Yeah."

The door began to open.

Sherri's face lit up at the sight of Dean. "Oh, my God. You saved us! You saved us!"

"Actually, I just found a few more." Dean shrugged. The gun in his hand did not go unnoticed. "Come on, everybody, let's go. Let's go." he ushered more people into the vault.

"What are you doing?"

Ignoring Sherri, Dean nodded to Sam and I. "Ronald and I need to talk to you two."

"Sure." I couldn't help a small grin slip on to my lips. The look on Sherri's face was enough for me to feel ten times better about the situation.

Walking out of the vault, right behind Sam, my eyes locked on to Dean.

After listening to Sherri go on and on. After watching him flirt with woman after woman. With every one-night stand he and I had with other people. After the taste I'd gotten a few weeks ago. After the frustrating attraction I'd been fighting off for months. I made a conscious decision right then and there. I wanted him and I was going to have him.

...

"It shed its skin again. We don't know when. It could be in the halls, could be in the vault." Dean explained, and urgency in his voice.

"Great." Sam sighed. "You know, Dean, you are wanted by the police."

Dean grinned as if he were impressed or amused by that fact. "Yeah."

Sam shook his head. "So even if we find the damn thing, how the hell are we gonna get out of here?"

Dean's grin fell. "One problem at a time. All right, Liz and I will do a sweep of the whole place, find any stragglers. Once we get everyone together, we play a little game of Find the Freaks. So here." he pulled out two silver letter openers. "I found these for the two of you."

I shook my head, reaching into my bra and pulling out my own silver blade. "I'm already covered."

"You sneaky..." Dean was amused, a smirk playing on his lips. "That's why you threatened the guy who frisked you."

"No. I threatened him because I didn't want to be groped." I corrected him.

Turning back to Sam, he got back to business. "Now stay here, make sure Ronald doesn't hurt anybody. Help him manage the situation."

"Help him manage?" Sam was not happy. "Are you insane?"

Dean gave Ron two thumbs up to let him know everything was okay before he spoke to Sam again, his voice hushed. "Look, I know this isn't going the way we wanted."

"Understatement!"

"But if we let the cops in now, Ronald gets arrested, we get arrested." Dean gestured to himself and Sam. "The shifter gets away. Probably never find it again, okay?"

Instead of responding, Sam gestured to Ron.

Dean and I turned, seeing Ronald standing in the light coming in from outside.

"Ron." Dean called, getting his attention. "Out of the light."

"Seriously?" I'll repeat... Sam was not happy.

Shaking my head, I stepped forward. "Okay, so his plan wasn't the best. It's insane. But right now, it's what we've got to work with. So, please, just keep everyone safe and alive."

Looking from Dean to me, Sam slowly nodded. "Fine."

"All right. Let's go." Dean nudged me.

Before walking off, I offered Sam and gentle smile. "Thank you." as I began to follow Dean, I gave Ron and small wave- which he blushed at- before my attention was focused on the task at hand.

**DPOV**

Walking through the halls, Liz and I stayed out of the light, sticking the walls and shadows when we could, searching for any more people, while also looking for the shifter.

"Stay close."

"Sing me a new song." Liz rolled her eyes at me.

If someone asked me why I took her with me and not Sam, I would probably tell them it's because I knew Ron would be more cautious with someone he doesn't like and Sam would be able to handle any problem. But in reality, I knew things would have been fine if it was Liz watching the vault.

Truth is, I just enjoyed her company. Comments like that amused me. She laughed at most of my jokes. She was one surprise after another. She was a great hunter- one of the few Sam and I could actually work with.

Then there was the look she'd given me when she exited the vault. It was like something had clicked. She went from looking at me with slight uncertainty, to looking at me with determination. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I wanted to find out.

**SPOV**

I pulled open the vault door. "I'm gonna keep this open, get you folks some fresh air in there, all right. But no one leaves the vault."

As I finished my sentence, a phone began to ring.

"I don't understand." Sherri stepped up. "Why are you helping him?"

I gave her a short shrug. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Hello?" Ron answered the phone.

"I think I gotta get out of here." an elderly man spoke up from inside the vault. It was the security guard.

Shaking my head, I stood my ground. "Sir, I'm sorry but you gotta stay put."

"What? What do you mean, demands?" Ronald was speaking to the cops. _Great._

"Ronald. Hang up."

"I'm not a bank robber."

The old man spoke again. "I gotta get out of here."

"Sir, you can't leave." I told him."

Ron wasn't hanging up the damn phone. "I'm a crime fighter, I guess."

"Ronald!" I snapped, patience running thin. This whole situation was getting out of hand fast.

He continued to ignore me. "No, I'm acting alone."

 _That's it._ I stepped up to the phone and hung it up. "Ronald? The less the cops know, the better."

"Hey, I think this dude's having a heart attack." someone called form inside the vault.

"Great." I sighed. "Could be our guy, could be a trick."

"Are you just gonna let the man die?" the same person called again.

"No one's dying in here." I countered, snapping more than I probably should have. "Cover the door." I ordered Ron before picking up the phone and dialing the police.

Once I told them I was in the bank and needed to speak with an officer, they put me through to a guy. He'd been talking to Ron, so figured I wasn't a 'robber' and started asking me questions in the hopes I would help him.

" _Can you tell me how many hostages this guys got?_ "

"Look, one could be having heart trouble. You need to send in a paramedic."

" _Just stay calm, we'll have you out-_ "

"Just send in a paramedic, okay? Don't try anything else." I snapped, quickly adding, "Please." then I hung up.

"Paramedic?" the guy form inside the vault, helping the old man, spoke up again. "Guy don't have time, man."

"Listen, I'm sorry. Okay? I am." Ron started. "But nobody's getting out."

The man just shook his head at Ronald. "He's dying right in front of you!"

**EPOV**

Dean and I had searched nearly all the rooms, when he noticed something was wrong with the ceiling in one of them. One of the squares was out of place...

"Here, hold this." he handed me the torch. Grabbing a coat stand that sat in the corner, he then pushed it against the square.

I stepped a little closer, shining the torch into the small space he'd created, trying to see what was inside. It was a mistake I regret making.

With a harder push and shove, Dean moved something inside the roof which then fell through, landing on top of me, hard and heavy. I fell to the ground, the weight of whatever it was knocking my feet from under me.

"What the-" I cut myself short as I looked at the body on top of me. "Get it off!"

Dean acted quickly, lifting the body and rolling it off me. As he did, he rolled it so its face was up, revealing someone I recognised. This guy was naked, his throat cut, but I had no doubt in my mind that I'd seen him before, which meant we now knew who the shifter was.

"Dean... This guy is in the vault."

**DPOV**

I headed for while Liz walked up to the vault to make sure the guy was still in there.

"Hey, what's up?" Sam asked, confused. The look my face must have told him something was up.

"We found a body." I looked past Liz and Ronald, my eyes landing on the shifter. "It's the guy with the guard."

Sam nodded, turning to Ron. "You know, Ronald, he's right. We gotta get this man outside. Come on." he walked into the vault, grabbing the old man.

"Yeah, I'll help." the shifter offered.

Sam just shook his head. "Oh, I got him. It's cool. Thanks." he helped the old man out, heading for the bank's exit.

I stepped up to Liz, both of us standing in the vault doorway. "Hey, can we talk to you for a second?" I asked the shifter, needing to draw it out.

It scoffed. "You got the gun, man. I mean, whatever." it joined us out of the vault.

The next thing I knew, it lashed out at me, knocking the gun from my hand. It pushed Liz away, knocking her against the wall, and kicked me against the vault door. Then it was off, running away.

"Stop, come back here!" Ron ran after the shifter.

"Dean." Liz scrambled to her feet, offering me a hand. "Come on, we gotta go."

Once I was standing again, we hurried to catch up, needing to get to the shifter before it changes again. Things were already bad enough with the body count piling up. Any more dead people, and this was not going to end well. The cops thought I was a murdered, they probably start think Sam is too.

As we ran into the main room of the bank, we came to a stop as everything happened at once.

"Get down, now!" Sam yelled.

The sound of a gunshot went off.

Ron fell to the ground.

I grabbed Liz, pushing her into the corner and on the ground, behind a counter, keeping myself in front of her protectively as Ron bled to death right in front of us.

"Oh, my God." Liz was shaking.

"Don't look." I turned to her. "Elizabeth." I cupped her cheek, turning her face to look at me. "Don't look, okay. Just look at me."

She may be a hunter. She may have seen some horrible things, done some pretty messed up stuff herself. But reality could sometimes be more frightening than the crap we dealt with. Someone getting shot- a _human_ getting shot by another human... It was like a slap to the face with ice-cold water. It made you realize how easy it is to actually die.

Sam came over to us, staying low and out of the light. "Here." he handed me the key to Ron's lock and chain on the front door. "Take care of the guard. I'm going after the shifter." he was gone before I could stop him.

Looking over my shoulder, my eyes landed on Ron before I turned back to Liz. "Stay here. I'll be right back." the moment she nodded, I headed over to Ronald's body, staying low and behind anything that would keep me out of the light. "Sorry, Ron. You did a real good job tracking this thing. You really did." reaching over, I grabbed his dropped gun before leaving him there.

...

"This will all be over soon." I assured the guard as I lead him to the door of the bank. "Everything's gonna be all right."

I could see lights flashing outside, police cars, the light of a helicopter... They had the whole shebang out for us.

As the old man pushed the door open, he called out to the cops. "Hey, don't shoot! Don't shoot, please."

As the officers cocked their guns, I pressed my gun against the old man's back. "No, no, no. Back up. Don't even think about it."

"Please don't shoot." the guard raised his hands.

Looking around now, I could see more. I could see the full extent of the trouble we were in.

More police than I could count. News reporters and civilians behind the police tape, a safe distance away. Cameras flashing, people yelling. Guns, riot gear. Snipers and S.W.A.T. It was worse than I first thought.

"Son of a bitch..."

Some officers started to move in, pulling my attention to them.

"I said get back, now!" I pushed at the old me. "Okay. Go, go."

The moment he was gone, I stepped back inside, closing the door behind me before rushing to close and chain up the next door.

"We are so screwed."

**EPOV**

Dean came rushing over to where I was still sitting in a corner. My shock was basically gone, I could have moved. But he'd told me to stay, so I had.

He held his phone to his ear. "What?" he paused before sighing, running a hand over his face. "God, it's like playing a shell game. It could be anybody, _again_."

"Dean?"

He looked down at me, getting to his knees as he continued to talk into the phone. "All right, you search every inch of this place. Liz and I will round everybody up." he said before hanging up the phone and turning to me. "Everyone got out of the vault, the shifter changed again, and I'm pretty sure my face is now all over the news."

"Shit."

He nodded. "Yeah, things aren't looking too good." his face softened slightly as he looked me over. "How about you? You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't have to-"

"I said, I'm fine, Dean." I insisted, getting to my feet. "Now, let's go. We've got work to do."

**DPOV**

Liz ushered the hostages back into the vault. "Everything's gonna be all right. This will all be over soon." she assured them as a phone began to ring.

I stepped up to it, answering it cautiously. "Yeah."

" _This is Special Agent Victor Henriksen._ "

"Yeah, listen, I'm not really in the negotiating mood right now." I told him as Liz closed the vault door.

" _Good, me neither. It's my job to bring you in. Alive's a bonus, but not necessary._ "

"Whoa, that's kinda harsh for a federal agent, don't you think?"

" _Well, you're not the typical suspect, are you, Dean?_ " I froze as he went on. " _I want you and Sam out here, unarmed. Or we come in. And yes, I know about Sam too. Bonnie to your Clyde._ "

I collected myself, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, well, that part's true. But how'd you even know we were here?"

" _Go screw yourself. That's how I knew. It's become my job to know about you, Dean. I've been looking for you for weeks now. I know about the murder in St. Louis, the Houdini act you pulled in Baltimore. I know about the desecrations, the thefts. I know about you dad._ " that struck a nerve.

"You don't know crap about my dad."

 _"Ex-Marine, raised his kids on the road. Cheap motels, backwoods cabins. Real paramilitary survivalist type. I just can't get a handle on what type of whacko he was. White supremacist, Timmy McVaigh, tomato, tom-ar-to._ "

"You got no right talking about my dad like that." there was a grin on my face, but I was not amused. "He was a hero."

" _Yeah. Right. Sure sounds like it. You have one hour to make a decision or we come through those doors, full automatic._ " he didn't wait for a response before hanging up.

I slammed the phone back into place.

"Dean?" turning to Liz I could see the concern in her eyes as she stepped closer to me. "Who was it? What did they say?"

All I could do was shake my head and sigh. "I am so screwed, Liz."

**EPOV**

"We got a bit of a problem outside." Dean spoke. I turned to see that he was talking to Sam, who'd just entered the room.

"We got a problem in here." Sam gestured to the vault door. "The shifter, it turned into Sherri. I found her body."

This piqued my interest. "Sherri? The woman who'd been going on about Dean?"

Sam simply nodded.

Not needing anything else said, I turned and opened the door to the vault. "Sherri? We're gonna let you go."

She looked at me confused. "What? Why me?"

"As a show of good faith to the feds." Dean answered from behind me. "Come on."

But she didn't move. Her eyes landed on the gun in Dean's hand and the silver blade sticking out of my pocket. "Ah... I think I'd rather stay here with the others." she stepped further into the vault.

I wasn't going to take no for an answer. "It's not an option, sweetheart."

Hesitating a moment longer, she eventually nodded and moved towards Dean and me. Once she was out, we closed the door to the vault, and grabbed her, following Sam as he led us to the body.

...

Sherri struggled against Dean's hold. "I thought you were letting me go."

Instead of answering, Dean turned her so she could face the body identical to hers which lay on the floor of an office dead.

After a moment, the fact she was looking at a dead body that looked like her seemed to register. She began to scream and struggle more, unable to look away from the body but desperately wanting to.

"Is that community theater or are you naturally like this?" Dean asked her, letting her arm go seeing as I stood in front of the only exit out of the room.

Sam pulled out the silver letter opener Dean had given him. "This is the last time you become anybody. Ever." he told her as he lifted his hand to stab her.

"No. Oh, God." she let out a sigh and fell.

"What the...?" I looked down at her confused.

Dean shrugged, looking from the dead Sherri to the unconscious one. Making up his mind, her crouched down by the unconscious one and lifted his own letter opener, ready to kill.

"Dean, wait." Sam stopped him. "What's the advantage of this plan? I mean, fainting now wouldn't help it survive." he had a good point.

Turning away from the fainted Sherri, Dean looked to the 'dead' Sherri. "Huh..." getting up, her moved over to the 'dead' Sherri and knelt by her.

A crash caught his and Sam's attention, causing them to look away, but I kept my attention on the body by Dean. That's when I could see it's chest moving ever so slightly. It was breathing.

"Dean!" I hurried over, pushing him out of the way just as the shifter went to grab him. As a result, it grabbed me instead, it's hand wrapping around my throat.

At the same time, the real Sherri woke up and began to scream. "Oh, God! Oh, God!"

Sam tried to deal with Sherri, while Dean moved to help me with the shifter. It threw me away and turned to him, grabbing his wrist before he could stab it. It kicked at him and rolled them over so it was on top.

Getting to my feet, I pulled out my blade and reached for the shifter's hair, pulling it back and lining up the point of my weapon to its throat. I was about an inch from getting it, when the thing turned, pushed me to the ground, and smashed my head against the ground all in a matter of seconds. Neither Dean or I had a chance to react.

Then it was up, making a break for it.

**DPOV**

Liz and I were looking for the shifter, sticking together as we walked around the bank. The thing could be anywhere. Hell, it could be anyone. It was fast, and strong. Things weren't looking too good.

The sound of someone heading our way had me look down a hall in time to see the ends of guns about to round the corner. The cops were inside.

Grabbing Liz, I rushed us to the next corner and pushed us behind it, using my body to cover hers as I listened out for the feds as they got closer.

Leaning closer, Liz whispered in my ear. "Follow me." she pulled me back and slipped her hand in mine before dashing into the shadows, taking us away from the cops.

Once we were at a safe distance, we slowed our pace a little, her hand slipping out of mine as we continued our search. Though now that we knew the feds were inside, we were going to have to be more careful.

"We should split up." she suggested.

I didn't even have to think about it. "No." reaching for a storage room door, I took a look inside. "This thing is strong, and fast. It'll be better if-"

The sound of a grunt had me turn to see Liz and the shifter fighting, and it wasn't looking good.

I jumped in, the two of us circling the shifter, throwing a punch when we could, trying to keep it on its toes to find an opening. The thing kicked out at Liz, pushed her against the wall. It took this as my chance and went to make a move.

As I went to punch it, it grabbed my arm, locking it between its side and arm as it's other hand went from my throat. I head-butted it a few times, keeping it at bay until it stumbled back and into Liz.

Liz was ready. She put the thing in a head lock before reaching around and stabbing it in the chest with her blade. Letting it go, she stepped away as the shifter's body fell to the ground, dead.

"Wow..." I looked her up and down.

She was a little out of breath as she wiped some sweat from her forehead. "Impressed?"

Grinning, I gave her a short nod. "You could say that."

"Like I've told you a million times, Winchester, I'm perfectly capable." reaching down, she pulled her blade out of the shifter's chest.

A flashlight turned on, aimed at us.

Liz and I both turned, ready to fight if we had to. But instead of a fed standing behind us, it was Sam... Dressed in a SWAT uniform while carrying two others on his shoulder.

"Here." he tossed the spare uniforms on the ground in front of us. "You're gonna need these."

**EPOV**

I slid into the back of the Impala, pulling of the SWAT helmet and mask I'd put on, dumping them on the floor by my feet. My body ached, my mind was reeling. I was covered in sweat. I hadn't slept since we started this case.

But despite all that, I was completely aware of the trouble we were now in. The feds had been after Dean before, now they were after Sam. It would only be a matter of time before they'd come looking for me too...

Dean shook his head. "We are so screwed."

**Bamby**


	15. Magic Fingers

**EPOV**

I walked into the hotel room, dumping some bags on to the table as I grinned at an oblivious Dean. He was lying on his bed, headphones in his ears, the bed vibrating underneath him as the Magic Fingers machine did its thing.

Since the bank in Milwaukee, Sam and I agreed that it would be best for Dean to keep a low profile. Which is why Sam was on the job, I'd done a food run, and Dean was relaxing on his bed, a smile on his face as if there were no worries in the world, and that everything outside of this room didn't exist anymore.

Grinning, I kicked my shoes off by the door and tugged my leather jacket off, draping it over the back of a chair before starting for the bed. Stepping on to the mattress, I stood over Dean, a foot on either side of him, by his hips.

He pulled his headphones off, looking up at me. "Liz, what the hell do you think you're doing?" his eyes couldn't resist looking me up and down.

"Nothing." biting my lip, I lowered myself so I was kneeling, straddling him on the bed. "I've just been thinking..." running a finger down his chest, my eyes following the trail, I continued to grin.

Swallowing hard, he pulled himself up to rest on his elbows. "About?"

"Casual sex."

I swear he stopped breathing right then and there. "Casual sex?"

"Yes." nodding, I slid my hand back to his shoulder and let my fingers play with his hair at the back of his head. "With you. I've been thinking about causal sex with you. And I've decided..." I bit my lip. "I want to have sex with you."

Before I could say or do anything else, he leaned forward and crashed his lips against mine as his hands grasped my thighs. Grinning against him, I returned the kiss, deepening it, opening my mouth to slip my tongue through his lips to tangle with his own.

Pushing my body against him, I pressed against all the good parts. We'd danced around this for too long. I wanted him here and now. His grip told me he wanted this as much as I did, but at the same time, there was security in his grasp. He was ready for this, but he would stop if I needed, if that's what I wanted. A clear message that he wanted me to feel comfortable, so we could enjoy finally doing this, and not be held back by anything.

There was no way I was backing down, now. My skin was practically vibrating with anticipation.

In a hurrying of need and want, his navy over-shirt and black tee were discarded and thrown across the room. Leaning back, I grabbed my white tank to take it off. Dean reached to help me, placing a kiss to my sternum as the shirt passed my white lace bra.

"White?" he chuckled lightly, tugging on my ear lobe with his teeth. "There's nothing innocent about you."

"Don't you forget it."

He chuckled again, only to stop when his fingers brushed the skin resting under my left ribs. Looking down, his eyes caught sight of a scar two, maybe two and a half inches long. He ran a finger along its length, curiosity and concern in his eyes.

"First job. Didn't know what I was getting into." I explained. "If it wasn't for another hunter crashing my case, I would have died."

"Remind me to thank them if we ever run into them." he mumbled as his hand ran through my hair, gripped on to the back of my head, and pushed my face to his, causing our lips to crash together again.

Taking control over the situation, he rolled us over so he was on top. Trailing his lips away from my own, he left kisses and nibbles on my skin as he headed for the crook of my neck. My eyes closed and head tilted to give him more access, wanting everything I could get. Body pressing against him, leg brushing against his thigh, fingers gripping on to his hair, and digging into his back as my hips rocked.

He got to work fast. Once he unbuttoned my pants, he gave them a rough tug, pulling them and my underwear off in one swift movement. After dropping them to the floor, he quickly pulled his own pants and briefs off, leaving them in the mess of clothes.

Sitting up, I grabbed his arm and pulled him down, lifting my leg up to wrap around him as our lips found each other again. My leg pushed him down, pressing his hard member against me. A groan came from deep within me as we both pressed, against each other. Thrusting, wanting and needing the friction and contact.

I can honestly say, I have never been kissed by anyone like the way Dean kissed me. Hell, I hadn't kissed anyone the way I was kissing him. The heat and desire and need. The eagerness and urgency. The raw passion of it all. It was hard and hungry. We were practically devouring each other. Hands grasping at whatever we could grab on to, needing to touch each other, needing to feel every inch of skin. Bodies sliding against each other, hungry for action. The sounds that trickled from both him and me, like animals mating.

After so much time, teasing and flirting, this was it. This is what I'd been craving from the moment I laid eyes on him at the roadhouse. Those green eyes, mischievous grin and deep voice had me hooked.

As he pushed into me I pulled my lips from his, moaning and gasping at the welcome intrusion, at the delicious connection. He filled me completely.

"Oh, God." my back arched into him as he moved at an agonisingly slow pace. "Dean." hands grabbing him, pulling him closer, deeper. I needed all of him.

As our bodies moved against each other, all the sweet spots inside me got attention from him. His size and length making it easy for him to reach all the places I wanted to be touched. Moving in a way that he knew exactly what to do to my body, he continued to increase the pleasure building inside me.

His lips trailed down, leaving light bites and nibbles on my neck before he attached them to my shoulder. Looking down, watching him, I could not believe what I was seeing.

"Dean!" I suddenly pushed him off and rolled us over so I was on top. As I rode him, his hands grasping my thighs, I looked down at the mark he left on my shoulder. "Not cool."

When he grinned, I wanted to slap and kiss him at the same time. He was so aggravating and yet so damn sexy. Instead, I simply began to circle my hips as I pushed down on him harder, burying him deep within me.

He groaned and closed his eyes as if the pleasure of my movements were so good they caused him pain. "Liz..."

Biting my lip, I pushed down, pressing the nub between my folds against him so it got some attention. "Hmm. That feel good?" running my hand along his chest, I continued the torture. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back as I pressed harder and moved slower.

Before I realised what was happening, he sat up and crashed his lips on to mine. Just as eager as before, though not as desperate. One hand gripped my ass while the other grabbed one of my breast. My fingers grasped his hair at the back of his head, as the other rested on his side, nails digging into his skin.

We were both close, I could feel it, he could feel it. So, I increased my pace, pushing down on him faster, swirling my hips more to add friction.

He tore his lips away, locking his eyes on to mine. As we continued to thrust against each other, our eyes locked in an intense stare, I felt myself be pushed over the edge of my climax.

"Oh, Dean!" my head dropped on to his shoulder as I rode out my orgasm.

A feeling of cool bliss washed over me, leaving my nerves tingling and vibrating. My core was the only thing truly awake after. It buzzed with an energy and enthusiasm as if it were on ecstasy. Ears buzzing, mind an incoherent muddle of confusion, and limps left weak, I knew I had never experienced sex or its aftermath quite like this.

Dean wasn't too far behind, pulling out and emptying himself on to my stomach. A long groan escaped him as his lips pressed lazy kisses to my shoulder.

As Dean fell back, I rolled over to lay next to him, both of us looking up at the ceiling, catching our breaths, coming down from the out-of-this-world sex we'd just had. The room smelt like sex and sweat. Our bodies were hot and sticky. But I didn't care. I was too worn out.

It took a few minutes before I felt like I could move without twitching from aftershock.

Sitting up I drape my legs over the side of the bed. "I need food and a shower."

Dean sat up and leaned over to press a kiss to my shoulder. "I wouldn't mind having a shower. We could save water, have one together."

Chuckling lightly, I shook my head. "Not gonna happen, Dean." standing up, I moved to grab my clothes as I explained a few things to him. "I'm not a girlfriend-kind of girl. I do casual sex and that's all."

"I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend." he noted. "Not sure if you've noticed, but I'm not the kind of guy that settles down either."

"Exactly." I gave a sharp nod, turning to him. "So, we need some rules."

"Rules?"

"Yes, rules. For starters, no one can know we're sleeping together. Especially Sam. I don't want things to get awkward, and when we eventually stop I don't want it to get weird with other people."

"Fine. What else?"

"Neither of us can interfere or complain when we sleep with other people. We're not an item. We can sleep with whoever we want, and there shouldn't be any problems when the two of us hook up again."

"Fine." he repeated. "But this thing between us, it's not a onetime thing."

"Definitely not." I gave him a wink as I started for the bathroom. "After I'm done I'm heading out for some chocolate. You want anything?"

"Did you get pie while you were out last?"

"I never forget the pie, Dean."

"Well, then I'm good." he shrugged reaching for his headphones again.

**DPOV**

Liz wasn't back yet. After she'd left, I had a shower and got dressed again. I cleaned up the room, opened the windows and crashed on the bed again. With my music blaring and the Magic Fingers machine vibrating, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I thought about the way Liz had looked...

It had been a shock, her climbing on to me the way she had. But the moment I realised what she was doing, there'd been no turning back. The sex had been incredible. Nothing I hadn't done before, but it felt different. Afterwards I could hardly move, my body felt so good. I'd never been like that before.

Someone taped my feet, startling me. I opened my eyes to see Sam standing at the end of the bed.

"Hey!" he shrugged expectantly.

"Hey. Man, you gotta try this." I gestured to the vibrating bed, knowing I was speaking loudly because of the music in my ears. "There really is magic in the Magic Fingers." a smile spread on my lips.

"Dean, you're enjoying that way too much. It's kinda making me uncomfortable." he shifted on the spot as he avoided looking at me.

"What am I supposed to do? You and Liz got me on lock-down, bored out of my skull." not true. I'd had plenty of fun.

"Hey, you were the bank robber on the eleven o'clock news, not us. We can't risk you just walking into a government facility." when all I responded with was an indifferent hum, he shook his head and walked to the bathroom.

A moment later, the bed finished vibrating.

"Oh, damn it. That was my last quarter." pulling my headphones off, I sat up and called out to Sam. "Hey. You got any quarters?" I asked, moving to stand in the doorway of the bathroom.

"No."

"So, did you get in to see that crazy hooker?"

The job we were here for was about two murdered that had gone down, by two separate killers, both claiming to have been doing as an angel asked. I personally didn't see a case, but Sam did, so here we were.

"Yeah." he shut the tap off and turned to me. "Gloria Sytnik. And I'm not so sure she's crazy."

"But she seriously believes she was touched by an angel?"

"Yeah. Blinding light, feelings of spiritual ecstasy, the works. I mean, she's living in a locked ward and she's totally at peace."

"Oh, yeah, you're right. Sounds completely sane." I did not hold back the sarcasm.

Liz walked into the room, a bag in hand. "We talking about the case?"

I nodded at her. "Yeah, Sammy was just filling me in."

She pulled out a bar of chocolate and took a seat on my bed. She crossed her legs in front of her and began to eat. "So, what we got?"

"Sam thinks the crazy lady isn't crazy." I filled in, doing everything I could to stop myself from looking her up and down. She just looked too good. She always looked good.

Dressed in tight, ripped, dark grey jeans, boots, a black tank that hung a little low and showed off the lace of her white bra, with her dark red leather jacket thrown on top. Her hair pulled back and up, curls and waves a tamed mess. Ring on her finger, a few tattoos on display, no makeup on.

_Man, she looks good._

"So, what about the guy she killed?" she asked, oblivious to me checking her out.

"Carl Gulley." Sam answered, walking out of the bathroom. "She said she killed him because he was evil."

Getting back to business, I joined the conversation again. "Was he?"

"I don't know." Sam shrugged. "I couldn't find any dirt on him. He didn't have a criminal record, worked at the library, had lots of friends. He was a churchgoer."

"So then Gloria's just your standard-issue wacko." I noted. "I mean, she wouldn't be the first nut job in history to kill in the name of religion, know what I mean?"

"No, but she's the second in town to murder because an angel told them to." Sam countered. "A little bit odd, don't you think?"

"Odd, yes." I gave a short nod. "Supernatural, maybe. But angels?" I scoffed. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because there's no such thing, Sam."

He chuckled lightly. "Dean, there's ten times as much lore about angels as there is about anything we've hunted." he told me, moving to take a seat on his bed.

"Hey, you know what, there's a ton of lore on unicorns too. Fact, I hear that they ride on silver moonbeams and they shoot rainbows out of their ass."

Sam's face fell. "Wait, there's no such thing as unicorns?"

"That's cute." I shook my head, turning to Liz. "What do you think?"

"Me?" she asked, chocolate in her mouth. She swallowed before answering. "I tend not to doubt something until I know it's definitely not real. I mean, I didn't know vampires, werewolves and shifters were real until my mid-teens."

"See." Sam nodded to her. "Liz is on my side."

"Not really. Just covering my ass." she grinned, continuing to eat her chocolate.

"All I'm saying, is there are some legends you just..." I shrugged. "You file under bull crap."

Sam didn't seem to believe me. "And you got angels on the bull-crap list."

"Yup." I answered shortly.

"Why?"

"Because I've never seen one."

"So what?"

"So I believe in what I can see."

"Dean, the three of us have seen things most people couldn't even dream about." Sam pointed out.

But it just proved my point. "Exactly. With our own eyes. That's hard proof. Okay? But in all this time, I've never seen anything that looks like an angel. And don't you think, if they existed, we would've crossed paths with them, or at least know someone that crossed paths with them. No. This is a demon or a spirit. They find people a few fries short of a Happy Meal and they trick them into killing these randoms."

Sam nodded slowly. "Maybe." he clearly wasn't seeing my point.

I sighed. "Look, can we just... I'm going stir crazy. Hey, let's go by Gloria's apartment, huh?" I asked him, moving to my bed to grab my jacket.

"I was just there. Nothing. No sulphur, no EMF."

"You didn't see any fluffy, white wing feathers?"

Liz lowered her chocolate from her mouth. "Or harps? Angels have harps too." she added to the mocking.

Sam ignored both of us. "But Gloria did say the angel gave her a sign. Right beside Carl Guller's doorway."

This caught my interest. "Could be something at his house. It's worth checking out."

Jumping from the bed, Liz scrambled to put her chocolate in the mini fridge. "Let's go!" she smiled from ear to ear, moving to the door.

"What's gotten into you?" Sam asked, amused.

She simply shrugged. "Just full of energy, Sammy." she told him before turning and leaving the room.

I noticed two things then. One, Sam didn't mind that she called him Sammy. Two, her eyes had locked on to mine for a split second, and in that moment, I knew the reason she was in a good mood was because of what we'd done. Hell, despite all the angel talk, I was still in a pretty good mood too.

**EPOV**

Dean pulled up to the curb of Carl Guller's house. The three of us filed out of the car and headed for the footpath as we looked to the house standing before us. That's when my eyes landed on the plastic Christmas Angel decoration sitting by the front door.

"Does Gloria know she left her angel here?"

Dean chuckled as he walked up the steps, shaking his head. "You think it's a sign from up above, Sammy?"

Sam didn't respond to either of us.

Looking into the windows of the house, Dean checked to see if there was anything else by the door that might have caused Gloria to attack and kill a stranger. When he came up with nothing, he started down the porch steps again, moving to stand with Sam and me.

"Well, I think I learned a valuable lesson. Always take down your Christmas decorations after New Year's, or you might get filleted by a hooker from God." he grinned, giving a short laugh.

"I'm laughing on the inside." Sam responded with a flat tone as he moved to the side gate, looking up at the house.

Dean and I turned to each other. He gave me a wink, I rolled my eyes with a smile, and then we followed Sam, who came to a stop by the cellar door at the side of the house.

"You know, Gloria said the guy was, 'guilty to his deepest foundations'."

"You think she literally meant the foundation?" Dean didn't believe it. Even I felt like it was a bit of a reach.

"Can't hurt to see." Sam shrugged.

With a doubtful sigh, Dean helped him break off the lock on the doors, before the they opened both doors and walked down into the cellar.

Dean looked over his shoulder to me as I followed him down. "Stay close, Liz. It's dark down here."

I knew there was nothing I could ever do to stop him from being so protective over me. Sam was the same sometimes, but not as bad. Having casual sex with Dean, was not going to change him. Not that I wanted it to. I actually liked knowing the brothers were worried about me.

Walking down the steps, behind the brothers, I pulled out my flashlight just like they had, and moved further into the dark space. There were shelves lining the walls, with an assortment of things on display. I headed over to check out if there was anything interesting or incriminating that would help Gloria's case.

"Hey." Sam called, catching both Dean and my attention.

"You got something?" Dean asked, heading towards his brother.

I moved to crouch down by Sam as he reached to the wall and pulled something small from what appeared to be scratch marks.

"Oh, God." shaking my head, I turned my light to the object in Sam's hand. "It's a nail. A finger nail." my skin shivered at the thought of someone clawing at the walls.

Sighing, Dean moved off to the side and grabbed two shovels, handing one over to Sam. The two brothers began to dig at the dirt ground. With no other shovels around, and nothing else to do, I took a seat on the steps and waited, wondering what we were going to find.

It took a while, but eventually, they found something. Bones. They found bones. _Human_ bones, to be exact.

Sam sighed. "So much for the innocent church going librarian."

"Yeah, well, whatever spoke to Gloria about this knew what it was talking about, I'll give it that." Dean noted.

**DPOV**

I was stuck in the hotel room again, sitting on the bed, listening to the police scanner. Sam and Liz were out. I was bored. I had no quarters, and this case was confusing as hell, which was making me frustrated.

" _We got a minor TA involving a motorcycle and a van. This is at the corner of 28th and Pine. 28th and Pine._ "

The door to the hotel room opened as Liz and Sam walked in.

"Did you bring quarters?" I asked, looking to the Magic Finger's box.

Sam shook his head. "Dude, I'm not enabling your sick habit. You're like one of those lab rats that pushes the pleasure button instead of the food button until it dies."

"What are you talking about? I eat."

As if to prove my point, Liz handed me a burger then. "Here." she pulled out a few quarters from her pocket.

"Seriously?" Sam did not sound too happy.

But I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. "A girl who gets me everything I want and need? We are never letting you go." she just laughed as she shook her head and sat next to me. Turning to Sam, I gave him a short nod. "By the way, I got news."

"Me too."

"All right." I nodded. "You go first."

"Three students disappeared off the college campus this year. All of them were last seen at the library."

"Where Carl Gulley worked." I remembered.

"Yeah." Liz shook her head, a look of disgust on her face. "I can't imagine what he did with them. What torture they had to go through. It must have been horrible." she picked at her own burger, not looking at either of us. "I don't care what told Gloria to kill him. Whatever it was, it was right. Gulley deserved to die."

"Whatever it was, it struck again." I told both of them.

"What?" Sam looked confused.

"I was listening to the police radio before you two got back. There was this guy. Zach Smitt. Some local drunk. He went up to a stranger's front door last night, stabbed him in the heart."

"And then I'm guessing he went to the police and confessed?" Sam was right, it was just like the other two cases.

"Yup." I nodded. "Roma Downey made him do it." getting off the bed, I moved to the mirror where I'd written the address on a stick-note and left it there. "Now, I uh, got the victim's address." shrugging, I turned back to Sam and Liz.

Liz wrapped up her burger and put it back in its paper bag. "Let's go."

**EPOV**

In the alley way by the latest victim's house, Sam climbed on to a large garbage bin and jumped over the fence into the backyard. Dean was up next, but didn't jump over right way, instead he turned to me and offered his hand.

Unable to keep from smiling, I let him pull me up. He then proceeded to jump over and join Sam. But this time, before he could offer me help, I jumped over on my own, landing on my feet as gracefully as possible.

Moving to some windows, Sam used his knife's blade, sliding it through the two panels and unlatching them. Then it was as easy as opening the window and climbing in. With that, we began the search.

...

"Find anything?" Sam asked, eyes glued to the screen in front of him.

Dean and I had gone through the house and come up with nothing.

"Nada." I shook my head, moving to sit on the edge of the desk by Sam. "Some old porn stashed under his mattress, but nothing incriminating or worth getting murdered for."

Dean held a bunch of magazines, flicking through them as he answered. "Frank liked his catalogue shopping. But that's about all I got." he shrugged. "You?"

"Not much here." Sam's attention was still firmly on the computer. "Except he's got this one locked file on his computer that... Hold on." after pressing a few buttons, he looked proud of himself. "Not anymore."

Grinning, I shook my head. His nerdy and geeky behaviour could be really cute sometimes.

His face fell as he read whatever was on the screen. "God."

"What?" Dean stepped forward to take a look, while I leaned over and turned slightly so I could see the screen.

"He has all these emails. Dozens. To this lady named Jennifer." Sam clicked on the emails and opened them up so he could read them. "This lady who's thirteen years old."

Dean's face turned to disgust. "I don't wanna hear this."

But I had to.

Getting off the tables, I stepped closer to the computer. "Move." I pushed both Dean and Sam out of the way as I looked through the emails, feeling a rage build inside me. "They met in a chat room." the messages were pretty personal. "She told him _everything_ about herself..." the more I read, the more violated I felt. "They were going to meet."

"Great." Dean groaned. "When?"

Sam moved closer to look over my shoulder. "They were supposed to meet today."

"I guess if you're gonna stab someone, good timing." Dean noted.

I felt dirty and wrong. "How can someone lure a child like that? God, the things he might have done to her." shaking my head, I walked away from the computer and the guys. "Honestly, I don't care what this thing is. I'm on its side."

"I don't know, man." Dean started to walk around the desk towards me, talking to both Sam and me. "This is weird, you know? I mean, sure, some spirits are out for vengeance but this one's almost like a do-gooder. Like a-"

"Avenging angel?" Sam finished for him. But when Dean rolled his eyes and turned away from him- clearly still not on the 'it's an angel' side- Sam went on. "How else do you explain it, Dean? Three guys, not connected to each other, all stabbed through the heart? At least two were world-class pervs. And I bet if you dug deep on the other guy-"

"Hey." Dean cut him off.

"What?" Sam asked, still worked up.

Dean picked up and flyer and turned to us. "You said Carl Gulley was a church goer, right?"

"Yeah." Sam answered.

"What was the name of his church?"

It took a moment for him to remember, but after a second or two, Sam responded. "Our Lady of the Angels?"

"Of course that'd be the name." Dean turned the flyer around to show us that it was from Our Lady of the Angels church. "Looks like Frank went to the same church."

**Bamby**


	16. God's Will

**EPOV**

"So you're interested in joining the parish?" Father Reynolds asked as we followed him into the church.

"Yeah, we just don't feel right unless we hit church every Sunday." Dean answered, sounding a little too casual.

Father Reynolds nodded. "Where did you say you lived?"

"Premont, Texas." Dean told him. Sam agreed next to him.

"Really?" Father Reynolds came to a stop and turned to us. "That's a nice town. St. Theresa's Parish. You must know the priest there."

Sam was stumped, but Dean was right there, answering with confidence even though he was wrong. "Sure, Father O'Malley."

I laughed, pressing a hand to his arm as I shook my head. "Excuse my boyfriend, he's a bit of a jokester. Father Shaughnessy found it amusing, though it took some time."

The look Dean gave me at the word boyfriend did not go unmissed by me. I usually used Sam as my pretend boyfriend or fiance or whatever, but this time was different, and Dean couldn't quite hide how he was feeling about that fact. The slight cocky grin lifting at the corner of his lips. The amused glint in his eyes. He was pleased with himself.

"Father Shaughnessy." Father Reynolds nodded. "I know him well."

My smile widened. "Then perhaps the next time you see him... could you tell him he's in the prayers of Elizabeth Hart?"

"Of course." Father Reynolds gave a nod, a small smile of his own on his lips. "You'll all be a welcome addition. We could use some young blood around here."

"Listen, I gotta ask you, no offence, but the neighbourhood..." Dean shrugged, leaving the sentence unfinished, knowing the priest knew what he meant.

"It's gone to seed a little, there's no denying that. But that why what the church does here is so important. Like I always say, you can expect a miracle, but in the meantime, you work your butt off."

"So true, Father." I nodded. "Though... we heard about some murders."

"Yes." Father Reynolds's face fell as he spoke. "The victims were parishioners of mine. I'd known them for years."

"And the killers said that an angel made them do that?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Misguided souls." Father Reynolds shook his head in disappointment. "To think that God's messenger would appear, incite people to murder. It's tragic."

"So, you don't believe in those angel yarns, huh?" Dean looked a little pleased to see someone agreed with him.

But Father Reynolds was quick to correct. "Oh, no, I absolutely believe. Kind of goes with the job application." he pointed to his collar.

"Father, that's Michael, right?" Sam gestured to a painting on the high walls of the church.

"That's right." Father Reynolds nodded. "The Archangel Michael with the flaming sword. A fighter of demons. And a holy force against evil."

As we all turned away from the painting, Sam spoke again. "So they're not really the Hallmark-card version that everybody thinks? They're fierce, right? Vigilant."

"I like to think of them as more loving than wrathful. But, uh, yes, a lot of Scripture paints angels as God's warriors. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, glory of the Lord shone down upon them-"

"And they were terrified." I finished. "Luke 2:9."

Father Reynolds turned to me again, smiling lightly, pleased with my response. "Exactly."

**DPOV**

As we walked out of the church, Sam and Liz stood either side of Father Reynolds while I stayed back. I was confused. How the hell did Liz know all of that stuff about angels, and the bible? How did she know Father Reynolds from Texas? As I wondered I noticed some candles and flowers by the steps of the church. It was like a shrine.

"Thank you for speaking with us, Father." Sam nodded to Father Reynolds.

"It's my pleasure. Hope to see you again."

Before he could leave, I stopped him. "Hey, Father, what's all that for?" I gestured to the shrine.

"Oh. That's for Father Gregory. He was a priest here."

"Was?"

"He passed away right on these steps. He's interred in the church crypt."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Liz laid a gentle hand on Father Reynolds's arm. "When did he pass?"

"I'm sorry, as well. He was a good friend..." Father Reynolds nodded, patting her hand. "He died two months ago. He was shot for his car keys. I didn't even have time to administer his last rites. But like I said, it's a tough neighbourhood. Ever since he died, I've been praying my heart out."

"For what?" Sam asked.

"For deliverance. Form the violence and the bloodshed around here. We could use a little divine intervention, I suppose."

Sam and I shared a look then, both of us hearing the same thing in his words. With a smile back on my face, I nodded to Father Reynolds. "Well, Padre, thanks. We'll see you again." I shook his hand.

After he shook mine, then Sam's and then Liz's hand, he then headed back into the church, leaving us on the steps looking at the candles.

"Well, it's all starting to make sense now." I noted, moving to the shrine for the murdered priest. "Devoted priest dies a violent death. That's vengeful-spirit material right there. And he knew the other stiffs because they all went to church here. In fact, I bet because he was their priest he knew things about them nobody else knew."

Liz nodded, grabbing a photo that was placed with the candles and flowers. "I gotta agree with you on this one, Dean."

I gave a short nod. "Thank you."

"Then again..." Sam started. "Father Reynolds started praying for God's help two months ago, right? About the time all this started happening."

"Come on." I shook my head. I could not believe Sam. "What's your deal?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I'll admit, I'm a bit of a skeptic, but since when are you all Mr 700 Club? Seriously, from the get-go, you've been willing to buy this angel crap. I mean, what's next, you gonna start praying every day?"

"I do." he answered simply.

It took me a moment to realise what he said. "What?"

"I do pray every day. I have for a long time."

That was a shock to me. "The things you learn about a guy. Huh..." recovering, I gestured back to the church. "Come on. Let's go check out Father Gregory's grave."

**EPOV**

As we headed for the church crypt, I walked side by side with Dean in silence. Though the tension that had settled between us suddenly, spoke a million words. It wasn't about the sex, either. Something else was bugging him.

Finally, he turned to look at me. "How'd you know all that stuff about the bible? And who Father Shaughnessy is?"

"I did a job in Premont a couple of years back, and had some help from the priest. He knows me and what I do." I explained.

"What about all the bible stuff?"

I gave a simple shrug. "I'm from a religious family, Dean."

He looked surprised. "You're religious?"

"Well, no. Not really. I mean, I used to do it all. I went to a religious school, church every Sunday. Prayers at the dinner table before eating, and by my bed before I'd go to sleep." I looked down at the ground as we walked. "But once I started hunting. Once I lost everyone I cared about, I kinda just... stopped."

His surprise turned to curiosity. "Why?"

Shrugging, I looked up at him again. "Because I didn't have anything left to pray for."

There was a look in his eyes. A look of sympathy and understanding. Despite the fact he didn't know about my past and everything I'd been through, he still knew I'd lost my family. That's usually the way most hunters became hunters.

I knew about Dean and Sam's mum. I knew about their dad. I knew about their upbringing. I knew it all- or at least most of it. So I knew, the understanding and sympathy was not false, or a way to cover up pity. He really did know what it was like to lose people who you loved and cherished. So did Sam.

Speaking of which... he was being awfully quiet.

Turning around, I realised Sam wasn't following us anymore. "Sam?"

Dean looked behind us as well a frown forming when he noticed his brother was gone. Shaking his head, he headed back to find him.

**SPOV**

I felt someone shaking me as I lay on the cold, hard ground of the church crypt. It wasn't until I heard Dean's concerned voice that I woke up properly.

"Sam! Hey!" he shook me.

I groaned, looking up at my brother as he knelt by my side, looking down at me, his hands grasping my jacket. Sitting up, I took my time to regain my balance as I looked over at Lizzie who stood behind Dean looking equally worried.

"You okay?" she asked, voice small.

"Yeah." I answered, looking away as my eyes noticed that large angel statue in front of me. "Yeah." I repeated, smiling. "I'm okay."

"Come on." Dean stood and helped me to my feet. He made sure I was steady before we started to leave the crypt and headed for the chapel.

...

"Wait here." Dean told Lizzie as he directed me to a room off the side of the chapel. Once we were inside, he closed the door as he spoke to me. "You saw it, didn't you? Didn't you?"

"Yeah. Yeah, Dean, I saw an angel." I smiled, feeling perfectly fine. In fact. I felt great.

He didn't respond, he just stepped away as I took a seat, and pulled out his flask. "All right. Here." he offered me the flask.

I shook my head. "I don't want a drink."

With a shrug, he took a drink himself. "So, what makes you think you saw an angel?"

"I just... it appeared before me and me just... this feeling washed over me, you know? Like peace. Like grace."

"Okay, ecstasy boy. Maybe we'll get you some glow sticks, and a nice Dr Seuss hat." he joked.

But I didn't find any of this funny. "Dean, I'm serious. It spoke to me. It knew who I was."

"It's just a spirit, Sam." he insisted, moving to the benches in the opposite row and taking a seat. "Okay? And it's not the first one to be able to read people's minds. Okay, let me guess, you were personally chosen to smite some sinner. You just gotta wait for some divine Bat Signal? I that it?"

I gave a short nod. "Yeah, actually."

"Great. I don't suppose you asked what this alleged bad guy did?"

"Actually I did, Dean. And the angel told me. He hasn't done anything... yet. But he will."

Chuckling lightly, both amused and not, he stood back up. "Oh this is- I don't believe this."

"Dean, the angel hasn't been wrong yet. Someone's gonna do something awful and I can stop it."

"You know, you're supposed to be bad too, Sam." he countered. "Maybe I should just stop you right now."

I was getting pissed off and defensive now. "Dean, I don't understand. Why can't you even consider the possibility?"

"What, that this is an angel?"

"Yes. Maybe we're hunting an angel here and we should stop. Maybe this is God's will."

Sighing, he moved back to the benches. "Okay. All right. You know what? I get it. You've got faith. Hey, good for you. I'm sure it makes things easier." he took a seat again. "I'll tell you who else had faith like that. Mum. She used to say when she tucked me in that angels were watching over us. In fact, that was the last thing she ever said to me."

Now I felt a little guilty... "You never told me that."

"What's to tell?" he shrugged. "She was wrong. There was nothing protecting her. There's no higher power. There's no God. I mean, there's just chaos and violence. Random, unpredictable evil that comes out of nowhere, and rips you to shreds. So you want me to believe in this stuff? I'm gonna need to see some hard proof. You got any?" when I didn't respond, he went on. "Well, I do. Proof we're dealing with a spirit."

**DPOV**

The three of us were kneeling in front of Father Gregory's grave where a vine like plant was growing outside, above it and through the window to drape over it.

"It looks like-"

I cut Sam off. "It's wormwood. Plant associated with the dead. Specifically the ones that are not at rest." I looked around to the other graves. "I don't see it growing anywhere else, except over the murdered priest's marker. It's him, Sam."

"Maybe." he just wasn't going to let this angel thing go.

"Maybe?"

"Dean, I don't know what to think."

"Fine." Liz shrugged, standing up. "Then let's summon him."

Sam looked up at her. "What? Here? In the church?"

 _That's not a bad idea..._ "Yeah." I nodded, standing up next to her. "Yeah, we just need a few odds and ends and that seance ritual in dad's journal."

Sam laughed. "Seance, great. Hope Whoopi's available."

"That's funny, actually."

Liz just rolled her eyes at both of us. "Look, if Father Gregory's spirit is around then the seance will bring him to us. If Dean's right and its Gregory, we put him to rest. But if Sam's right and it's an angel, then nothing will happen."

"Exactly. It's one of the perks of the job, Sam. We don't have to operate on faith." I noted. "We can know for sure. Don't you wanna know for sure?"

**EPOV**

As I stepped out of the small corner store, I couldn't help but smile at Sam as he looked through the bag of things we'd just brought for the seance. "Dude, all right, I'll admit, we've gone pretty ghetto with spell work before. But this takes the cake." he shook his head. "I mean, a SpongeBob place mat instead of an alter cloth?"

"We'll just put it SpongeBob-side down." Dean shrugged, a grin curling up at the corner of his lips.

I laughed lightly, shaking my head as Dean and I continued for the car.

He looked over his shoulder to make sure he could speak without being heard by anyone else, before he gazed down at me. "I've been thinking-"

"About casual sex?" I grinned.

The look in his eyes, the way they darkened slightly, I knew my words had him instantly thinking about our morning activities. "God... you're going to be the death of me."

"At least you'll go out with a bang." giving him a wink, I bit my lip, drawing his eyes down to my mouth.

"You are so lucky Sam's here." was all he managed to mumble before his brother grabbed our attention.

"Guys, that's it."

We turned to him, but it was Dean who spoke. "What?"

Sam pointed to a man standing in front of a car and about to cross the road. "That's the sign."

"Where?"

I looked over, but couldn't see anything. "Sam, what do you see?"

"A light. A bright light. Right there. Right behind that guy. That's him. We have to stop him."

Right then, the man began to cross the street. Sam was moving in an instant, ready to follow the guy... or kill him. Either way, both Dean and I knew we couldn't let him go. Not when we weren't a hundred percent sure what he was going to do to the guy- or if the guy was even guilt, or what thing we were dealing with in the first place.

"Wait a minute." Dean grabbed Sam's arm, stopping him.

Sam looked down at Dean's hand holding him. "What are you doing? Let me go."

But Dean wasn't budging. "You're not gonna go kill somebody because a ghost told you to. Are you insane?"

"Dean, I'm not gonna kill him." Sam insisted. "I'm gonna _stop_ him."

"Define 'stop', huh? I mean, what are you gonna do?"

Sam watched as the guy got in his car. Turning back to his brother, be practically begged. "Dean, please. He's gonna hurt someone. You know it. You both do." he noted as he looked to me. "Lizzie, _please_."

Sighing, I looked into his pleading eyes and nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

"Thank you."

Dean let go of him, the three of us stepping up to the Impala. Dean unlocked his door and got in, but left Sam's and mine locked.

Sam looked through his window to his brother. "Dean. Unlock my door."

Ignoring him, Dean turned the car on. "You're not killing anyone, Sam." he turned to me as I looked at him expectantly.

"Let me in."

Shaking his head, he put the car into gear. "I got this guy. You take Sammy, do the seance. Watch my brother."

Seeing no point in arguing, I stepped back and let him drive away as Sam watched him go. "Don't worry, Sam. He's not gonna let anything happen and you know it." I assured him.

...

Kneeling in the crypt, I found it more eerie at night. Especially with our candles glowing, and everything for the seance ready. I'd almost asked Sam if we could have the SpongeBob-side face up. Sam lit the final candle and grabbed his father's journal before he began to read the Latin incantation. As he came to the end, he lifted a powered we'd mixed together and sprinkled it over the black candle he'd just lit, extinguishing it.

"What are you doing?"

We spun around to see Father Reynolds standing in the door way of the crypt.

 _This is not good_...

"What is this?"

Sam and I were lost for words. We couldn't manage any reason or excuse, but at the same time we knew we had to tell him something so he didn't call the cops on us. _Just don't say witchcraft, ghost or seance_...

Sam closed the journal and stood suddenly. "Father, please. We can explain. Um... actually, maybe I can't. Um…" for a moment I really did think he was going to save us. Walking closer to the priest, he tried again, "This is a seance."

_Yep, we're screwed._

The priest was not happy. "A seance? Young man, you're in a house of God."

"It's based on early Christian rites, if that helps any." Sam shrugged, trying to get the priest on our side. It didn't work.

"Enough." the priest grabbed his arm. "You're coming with me. You too." he pointed a finger at me.

I stood and followed them as the priest lead Sam out. "Father, please, you have to hear us out. I can explain. Just wait a-"

A bright light filed the room, causing me to stop talking and causing the priest and Sam to turn back to the room.

"Oh, my God." Father Reynolds' mouth gaped open. "Is that... is that an angel?"

"No, it's not." Sam answered. As I looked to him, I could see disappointment written on his face. "It's just Father Gregory."

As if his words were a trigger, the bright light faded to reveal Father Gregory standing by the candles and journal we'd left on the floor next to his grave.

Father Reynolds could not believe his eyes. "Thomas."

"I've come in answer to your prayers." Father Gregory smiled kindly, until he noticed Sam. "Sam. I thought I sent you on your path. You should hurry."

Sam gently shook his head. "Father, I'm sorry, but you're not an angel."

"Of course, I am." Gregory insisted.

"No. You're a man. You're a spirit. And you need to rest."

"I was a man. But now, I'm an angel. I was on the steps of the church. And I felt that bullet pierce right through me. But there was no pain. And then suddenly, I could see... everything. Father Reynolds, I saw you praying and crying here. I came to help you."

"Help me how?"

**DPOV**

I'd followed the guy just like I said I would. First, he took me to a house where he picked up a woman and gave her the flowers he'd been carrying. Then he set off again. I had no idea where he was going, but I stuck to the job. Staying close enough so I could see him, but not so close that he'd notice me.

As he rounded a corner, I soon did the same, but the car was nowhere to be seen. In the brief time it took for me to turn into the street, he'd managed to disappear.

"Damn it." I hit the steering wheel out of frustration as I began to slow down and look into every drive way, needing to find this guy.

**SPOV**

Father Reynolds stepped closer to Father Gregory's spirit. "Those murders... that was because of you?"

"I received the word of God. He spoke to me, told me to smite the wicked. I'm carrying out his will."

"You're driving innocent people to kill." Father Reynolds tried to explain.

"Those innocent people are being offered redemption." Father Gregory turned to me then. "Some people need redemption. Don't they, Sam? Elizabeth?" his eyes swept over to Lizzie.

I had no idea what he was referring to when it came to Liz, but I was sure- when it came to me- he was talking about whatever was inside me. This thing in me that causes the visions...

"How can you call this redemption?" Father Reynolds asked.

"You can't understand it now. But the rules of man and the rules of God are two very different things." Father Gregory explained.

Lizzie stepped up. "Those people you offered redemption. They're locked up. They will be for the rest of their lives.

But no matter what we said, Father Gregory didn't seem to understand. "No, they're happy. They found peace, beaten their demons. And I've given them the keys to heaven."

"No." Father Reynolds shook his head. "No. This is vengeance. It's wrong. Thomas, this goes against everything you believed. You're lost, misguided."

"Father. No, I'm not misguided."

"You are not an angel, Thomas. Men cannot be angels."

Father Gregory's smile fell as his face turned to confusion. "But... but I don't understand. You prayed for me to come."

"I prayed for God's help." Father Reynolds corrected him. "Not this. What you're doing is not God's will. Thou shalt not kill. That's the word of God."

**DPOV**

By the time I found the car, it was almost too late.

The guy had parked in an alley way. I'd left the Impala at the other end so they couldn't hear me coming, before I closed the rest of the distance on foot. As I neared the car, I could see the guy grabbing at the woman, leaning over to her, a knife in hand. She struggled and screamed, trying to fight against him.

Moving to his window, I used the butt of my gun and smashed the glass. Grabbing the guy, I punched him in the face and slammed him against the steering wheel, knocking him out. Reaching in, I unlocked the door so the woman could get out.

She scrambled out of the car, crying. I climbed over the hood to help her, closing her door and grabbing her arms as I made sure she wasn't hurt.

"Are you okay? Are you okay?" I asked, sound more urgent the second time.

"Thank God." she cried.

The car started suddenly. I only had time to grab the woman and pulled her away from the car before the guy drove off in a hurry.

"Damn it." I needed to go after him. Turning to the woman again, I looked down at her. "Are you sure you're okay? Do you have a cell phone?" she nodded. "Call 911." I told her as I started backing up for my car. Once I was inside, I turned the engine on and sped off.

**SPOV**

I looked to Father Gregory with sympathy. He was confused, but he didn't belong here anymore. "Let us help you."

"No." there was fear in his voice.

Father Reynolds was gentle as he spoke. "It's time to rest, Thomas, to be at peace. Please, let me give your last rites."

Father Gregory didn't say anything. After a moment or two, he simply nodded.

With an answer, Father Reynolds began. "Oh, holy hosts above, I call upon thee as a servant of Christ, to sanctify our actions this day in fulfilment of the will of God." he made a cross in front of him.

Gregory began to flicker. The fear in his eyes grew. "Father Reynolds?"

Father Reynolds gave him a kind smile. "Rest." listening, Gregory knelt before him as Father Reynolds continued. "I call upon the Archangel Raphael, master of the air, to make open the way. Let the fire of the Holy Spirit now descend, that this being might be awakened to the world beyond."

Father Gregory was bathed in a bright light, and as it faded so did he.

**DPOV**

I was in the middle of chasing the guy through roads and around corners. This time I wasn't letting him get away. Not when I knew what he'd do. But as we neared some traffic lights that were green, another car that should have stopped- seeing as they were oncoming traffic- didn't. A pick up in front of the guy I was chasing swerved to avoid an accident.

As the pickup sharply turned, a thin and long metal pole came flying out of the back of his vehicle. It flew through the air, heading straight for the guy I was chasing. The pole penetrated through the window of the car, causing the guy to come to a stop.

Even though I couldn't see it, I knew... I _knew_ the rode had killed him.

I slammed on the brakes, stopping beside the guy's car. Getting out of the car, I looked around at the scene before me. "Holy..." walking around, I peered in through the window to see the damage.

Sure enough, the rode had pierced right through him. He was dead.

**EPOV**

I sat on Dean's bed, looking down at my chocolate as Sam packed his stuff. I was already packed and ready to go. I'd gotten straight to it the moment we got back. Seeing as neither one of us had said a word, I actually finished faster than I normally would have.

There was a look in Father Gregory's eyes when he'd looked at me. I saw how he'd looked at Sam when talking about redemption, and how some people needed it. But as he turned to me, he looked exactly the same, as if whatever Sam had done or might do, I was the same.

The door to the room opened as Dean stepped in, taking one look at me before looking to his brother. "How was your day?"

Sam sighed, not looking away from his bag. "You were right. It wasn't an angel. It was Gregory."

Shaking his head, Dena pulled out his flask and took a drink. When he was finished, he offered it to Sam, who took it and took a drink as well.

Lowering the flask, Sam looked down at it in thought. "I don't know, Dean. I just..." he took a deep breath and sat down, "I wanted to believe, so badly I'd... it'd so damn hard to do this, what we do. All alone, you know. And there's so much evil out in the world, I feel like I could drown in it. And when I think about my destiny, when I think about how I could end up..."

"Yeah, well, don't worry about that, all right? I'm watching out for you." Dean assured him.

Sam looked up at his older brother then. "Yeah I know you are. But you're just one person, Dean."

I jumped off the bed and headed over to him. Placing the chocolate on the table I gave Sam a smile as I sat down next to him. "You've got me, too."

"Thanks... but I needed to think there's something else watching too, you know? Some higher power." Sam shrugged, giving a light laugh. "Some greater good. And that maybe..."

When he left it there, Dean asked, "Maybe what?"

"Maybe I could be saved." Sam answered, his eyes tearing up. I reached over and grabbed his hand for support. "But, uh," he laughed again, trying to lighten the mood, "you know, that just clouded my judgement. And you're right. We gotta go with what we know, with what we can see, with what's there right in front of our own two eyes."

Dean looked away. "Well, it's funny you say that."

Sam looked up at him confused. "Why?"

"Gregory's spirit gave you some pretty good information. The guy in the car was bad news. I barely got there in time."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"Is everything okay?" I added.

"He's dead."

"Did you...?" Sam left the question hanging there.

"No." Dean shook his head. "But I'll tell you one thing. If... the way he died, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would've believed it. I mean, I don't know what to call it."

"What?" Sam pressed. "Dean, what did you see?"

"Maybe... God's will."

**Bamby**


	17. I'd Rather Die

**EPOV**

It had been a week since Dean and I saw Sam. We had no idea why he left, what caused him to just up and go one night. All we knew was that we had finished a job, we'd decided to stay at a hotel for the night. But when I woke up- before Dean like usual- Sam was gone.

Since then we'd be searching all over the place for him. It was like the last time he'd run off. We were worried sick. All I could picture were the millions of ways Sam could be hurt or dead right now.

"Ellen. It's me again." Dean was on the phone, trying to find out if anyone had seen Sam. "Any chance you've heard from him?"

I pulled out my own phone as I took a few steps away from the parked Impala. After a few rings, someone picked up.

" _Hello?_ "

"Jo, it's Lizzie." I then went on to explain the situation to her.

" _I'm sorry, Lizzie, I haven't heard anything._ "

Sighing, I nodded, leaning against a wall. "Thought so. Worth a try at least."

" _Have you asked my mum or Ash?_ "

"Dean's on the phone to your mum now." I felt sick to my stomach, like something really bad had happened. If anything had happened to him, it would devastate me. It would kill Dean.

" _If I hear anything I'll let you know._ " she assured me.

"Okay, thanks."

"Liz!" Dean called. I looked up to see him getting in the car. "Sam just called. Let's go."

Pushing off the wall, I hurried to the car. "Sam called. I gotta go. Talk to you later." I rushed out, talking to Jo. She didn't have time to respond before I hung up and closed the door of the car right as Dean drove off.

...

We were rushing down the hallway of a hotel, looking for a room number Sam gave Dean. When he found it, he came to a stop and slammed his fist against the door. I was right beside him, banging on the door as well.

"Sam, it's us." Dean called. "Sam?"

Reaching over, I tried the handle, finding it unlocked. "Dean..." I nudged his arm as I slowly opened the door, being careful and cautious. "Sam?" as we stepped into the room, we found him sitting on a bed, looking down at his hands.

"Hey." Dean started for him.

"Hey, Dean." Sam's voice was so soft. "Lizzie."

Kneeling by his brother, Dean looked down at his hands, seeing blood on his knuckles. "Are you bleeding?"

"I tried to wash it off." Sam explained.

Dean looked up, but stopped as he noticed something on Sam's shirt. Moving his jacket away, he revealed Sam's bloodied shirt. "Oh, my God."

"What happened to you?" I asked, dropping to my knees as I looked to see if he was hurt. But there were no wounds.

"I don't think it's my blood."

"Whose is it?" Dean asked, urgency in his voice.

Sam looked down at the blood on his shirt. "I don't know."

"Sam, what the hell happened?"

"Dean." he lifted his head and turned to his brother. The fear in his eyes and voice, broke my heart. "I don't remember anything."

**DPOV**

I'd left Liz with Sam. I wasn't too sure about leaving him on his own again. Not after we just found him, with blood on his hands and shirt, and no memory of the last week or so. But I couldn't stay with him. We needed food and answers, which is what I'd gone to get. Coming back to the room now, I found Liz sitting on one of the beds, legs folded in front of her as she watched Sam pace.

As I closed and locked the door, Sam started towards me. "What'd you find out?"

"You checked in two days ago, under the name Richard Sambora." I answered, placing the bag of food down on the table. "I think the scariest part about this is that you're a Bon Jovi fan."

"Dean." he was not in a joking mood, and for good reason.

"Your room's been quiet. Nobody noticed anything unusual." I shrugged.

Shaking his head, he turned away and began to pace again. "You mean no one saw me walking around covered in blood?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean." I nodded.

"Then how the hell did I get here, Dean? What happened to me?"

"I don't know, all right." pulling my jacket off, I gave another shrug. "But you're okay. That's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh, really?" Sam didn't sound so sure. "'Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse-"

I cut him off. "Sam." I didn't want to hear any of this.

"What if this is what dad warned you about?"

"Hey, whoa, whoa." I turned to him again. "Come on man, let's not jump the gun here. We don't know what happened. We've just gotta treat this like any other job."

Liz nodded as got off the bed and moved closer to Sam, resting a hand on his arm. "Look, we'll figure this out. I promise."

He looked down at her and I swear my jealousy went through the roof. The way he gave her a small smile as if hearing her reassurance was good enough. Then there was the fact she smiled back at him, a look in her eyes I'd never seen her give me.

Wanting to get back on track, I spoke again. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Thinking about it, Sam took a seat as he answered. "Just the three of us, in that motel room in West Texas. I went out to grab some burgers..."

"West Texas?" Liz asked as the two of us shared a concerned and confused look.

"That was over a week ago." I noted.

Sam looked up at me. "That's it. Next thing I knew, I was sitting here. Bloody. Felt like I'd been asleep for a month."

"Okay. Retrace your steps. Manager said you left yesterday afternoon and never saw you come back, so..." I walked over to the back door of the room and pulled back the curtains. Sure enough, there was more blood. "Hey."

Sam and Liz walked over, looking at the bloody finger prints on the handle of the glass sliding door. Without hesitating a moment, Liz grabbed it and pulled the door open before she walked out. I looked to Sam who looked to me. Having no other options, we followed Liz out to a back parking lot.

"Recognise anything?" I asked Sam as we came to a stop.

He shook his head. "Not really."

"Well, come on then." Liz grabbed his arm and started to lead him further away from the hotel room. I was on Sam's other side, looking around for any more clues, when Sam came to a sudden stop.

"Wait."

"What?" I asked.

"I think I was here?" he gestured to some locked garages.

Looking around, I couldn't see any signs that he was right. "You remember?"

"Not really. It just... It feels familiar, you know?"

"Well, then, let's have a look." Liz let go of his arm and started for the first garage.

But Sam stopped her before she could open it. "Try that one." he pointed to the next one over. "Yeah."

"Okay." she shrugged, moving to stand in front of the next roller door, only to came to a stop as she looked down to see it was locked. "You got a key?"

Sam gave the pockets of his jacket a pat down. "Wait." reaching into a pocket, he then pulled out a key.

"This is getting weirder and weirder." shaking my head, I took the key and moved over to join Liz. As I gave the key ago, we found it was a perfect fit. Once the garage was unlocked, Liz and I lifted the roller door, revealing a yellow Volkswagen bug inside. "Oh, please tell me you didn't steal this."

Sam didn't respond. He simply moved inside and headed for the driver's door so he could look in the vehicle. Liz followed him while I moved to the other side to check the passenger's seat.

Running a finger on the steering wheel, Sam then showed me his finger. "More blood."

"Guys..." Liz squeezed in next to Sam and reached into the back. As she pulled away, she showed us a bloody hunting knife.

Sam looked at it horrified. "You think I used this on someone?"

I shook my head, not missing a beat. "I'm not thinking anything."

"We don't know anything yet, Sam. We're not jumping to conclusions until we know the whole story." Liz told him as she used her black tank top to wipe any prints off the handle of the blade.

I was about to agree with her when my eyes landed on something that told me Sam wasn't responsible for anything. "Okay, now this is disturbing." I lighted the pack of smokes to show them. "Come on, this couldn't have been you. Had to have been someone else. Somebody who," I gave the pack a smell, "smokes menthols."

Ignoring me, Sam grabbed a crumbled-up piece of paper from the floor. "Hey." he unravelled it. "A gas receipt. Few towns over."

**EPOV**

Dean stopped the car at the gas station the receipt was from. "All right, the receipts for ten gallons at pump number two." he read. "You getting any goose bumps yet? 'God, this looks familiar', deja-vu vibes?"

Sam just shook his head.

I unbuckled my seat-belt and leaned to poke my head in-between them as I gave Sam a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, it'll come back."

"Maybe someone inside will remember you." Dena suggested as he got out of the car. "Come on."

Sam didn't follow right away, instead he turned to look at me. "I'm glad you're here."

It wasn't something I thought he'd ever say, but it still made my smile grow a little. "Come on, Sammy." I gave his shoulder a pat before getting out of the car to follow Dean into the gas station.

The guy behind the counter had been looking down at some papers, but the moment we walked in his eyes turned to me. "How can I help you?" he offered the best charming smile he could give, which honestly wasn't doing anything for me.

"I was wondering if you've ever seen my friend before?" I asked, gesturing to Sam as he entered the store.

The guy's smile fell in an instant. "You! Out of here now. I'm calling he cops."

"You talking to him?" Dean sounded just as surprised as Sam looked and I felt.

The guy gave a sharp nod. "Yeah, I'm talking to him. Jerk comes in yesterday, stinking drunk. Grabbed a forty from the fridge, starts chugging."

"This guy?" Dean turned to his brother. "You drink malt liquor?"

The guy behind the counter scoffed. "Not after he whipped the bottle at my frigging head."

"This guy?" Dean repeated for the third time.

"What, am I speaking Urdu?"

"Look, I'm sorry if I did anything-"

The guy cut Sam off before he could finish. "You know what, tell your story walking, pal. Po-po'll be here in five." he warned, grabbing the phone.

"Wait. He's leaving, he's leaving. Put the phone down." Dean told him. "Sam, go wait in the car."

"But, Dean-"

Dean cut him off. "Go wait in the car."

Sighing, Sam turned and left. Once he was gone, the guy behind the counter put the phone down.

"Hey, look, we just want to talk to you, that's it. Okay?" Dean asked. "Now, when he took off, which was did he go?"

The guy grinned smugly. "Why don't you ask him?"

"I'm asking you." Dean shrugged. "Now, please. You'd be doing me a huge favour, okay."

"Oh, do you a favour? Well, that is what I live for." the guy didn't hold back the sarcasm. "You know, your buddy didn't pay for the booze, or the smokes, which he also illegally lit up."

Dean was even more shocked. "You saw him smoking?"

"Yeah. Guy's a chimney."

I could see where this was going. The guy wanted money. But I wasn't in the mood to play fair. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

"We don't have time for this." I mumbled before reaching over, grabbing the guy's shirt and slamming him against the counter top, holding him there. "Answer the question, ass-hole."

"Hey! Hey!" the guy tried to struggle against me, but I held him in place. "Okay. Okay. I'll tell you. He went north on Route 71. Straight out of town."

"Thank you." I smiled, letting him go. Pulling out some cash from my pocket, I placed it on the counter. "You call the cops, I'll come back for you." still smiling, I walked out of the store.

Dean was right behind me. "What the hell was that?" he sounded both impressed and scared.

"We needed answers, I got them." I answered as we reached Sam. Looking up at him, my smile returned, only this one was genuine. "We know where we're going, you ready?"

He looked down at me. "I saw what you did."

I gave a short shrug. "There isn't much I wouldn't do for you guys."

"Come on, let's go." Dean called as he moved to his door.

Sam grabbed my door handle and opened the door for me. I slid in with a thank you before he got back into his seat. Then we were off.

**DPOV**

I looked over as Sam as I drove along the dark road. "What's going on with you, Sam? Hmm? 'Cause smoking, throwing bottles at people... I mean, that sounds more like me than you."

Instead of answering me, he looked at in front of us. "Dean, wait. Right here. Turn down that road."

"What?"

"I don't know how I know. I just do."

Seeing no reason not to listen to him, I turned down the road.

There wasn't much down this way, but eventually we came to a lone house. Stopping in front of it, the three of us climbed out of the car. Lights flicked on in an instant, shinning directly at us.

"Whoever lives here, I'd say they don't like surprises."

"Steve Wandel lives here." Liz told us as she started up the steps.

"You know the guy?" I asked as we followed her.

She nodded. "We did a few jobs together a few years back. Just a hunter I bumped into a few times. Never did say no to an extra set of hands." she came to a stop at the door and knocked. "Steve! It's Elizabeth Hart. You here?"

"Ah, guys..." Sam got our attention. We walked over to him as he stood by a window, which was broken.

"I'm surprised the cops didn't show. Place like this, you'd think it'd have an alarm." I noted.

"It does." Liz mumbled. She walked further down the porch, moving to the corner. As she reached it she came to a stop. "Damn it. Someone tampered with it." pulling out her gun from the back of her pants, she moved back to us. Without stopping, she pulled the curtain of the broken window back, and climbed inside.

Sam and I followed her. As we entered the house, she was already walking out of the trashed room. Broken glass, plates, cups, chairs. The place was in ruins.

"Liz, wait up." I called out to her.

She didn't stop though. She just kept going.

**EPOV**

As I walked into Steve's office, I looked to the ground and found him dead. A gasp escaped my lips as I turned away from the body. Dean was right there, his arm wrapping around me comfortingly as Sam moved closer to Steve, his torch shinning on the body.

"Dean, get the lights."

Letting go of me, Dean did as Sam said and stepped up to the switch to flick the lights on. Once the room was lit up, he turned back. His eyes searched mine, needing to know if I was going to be okay or not.

"I think... I think I did this." Sam spoke.

Looking away from Dean, I shook my head. "Sam, we don't know that."

"How else do you explain the car, the knife, the blood?" Sam stood and turned to me. "I killed your friend, Lizzie... I'm sorry, but I-"

Dean cut him off. "Even if you did do this, I'm sure you had a reason. You know, self-defence, or something."

I knew both Steve and Sam. Neither of them were violent towards people who didn't deserve it. Killers, witches, anyone who actually deserved a beating or worse. Neither of them would just kill a person. So, no matter the reason, if Sam really did kill Steve, one of them had to have done something to trigger the other and in the end, Steve was killed...

Either way, I wasn't going to like the truth if this really was Sam.

"I need your lock pick."

Dean looked to Sam confused. "What?"

"I need your lock pick." Sam repeated himself as he stepped up to two closed doors.

Once Dean handed over the picks, Sam got to work. The doors rolled open, revealing Steve's collection of guns and weapons, and this hunter research.

I stepped up to it, grabbing a familiar looking silver knife with a black leather handle. Steve had used this when we were working together one time. He'd killed a shapeshifter who'd made itself look like me in the hopes Steve would kill me instead.

It had taken a moment or two as the shifter and I tried to convince him who the real me was. But eventually, Steve had killed the shifter. When I asked how he knew it wasn't me, he'd shrugged and claimed he'd guessed. Later he'd told me he knew because I'd gotten so agitated, as if the idea of a shifter trying to be me was more annoying and worthy of my attention than the knife pointed at me, threatening my life.

A tear rolled down my cheek at the memory.

"You okay?" Sam asked, placing a gentle hand on the small of my back.

I didn't bother lying as I shook my head. "He wasn't exactly a friend, but he was an acquaintance. He was a good hunter and a good man."

Sighing, Sam turned me around so I'd look up at him. "Lizzie... I'm sorry. Even though I don't remember doing it, or why, I'm sorry I killed him."

"Maybe you didn't." Dean gestured to a security camera. "Let's find out."

...

The three of us sat in front of Steve's computer, watching the security camera's tape play.

"Here we go." Dean nodded as we finally saw something change on the screen.

Steve was thrown into the room. Sam stalked in after him, grabbing as Steve, who tried to kick him away. But Sam just kept coming, attacking Steve until the older man couldn't fight back anymore. Then he grabbed him from behind, lifted his head and ran the blade of the knife we found in the car along Steve's throat, killing him. Casually standing up, Sam wiped the blood on his shirt without a care.

It was clear. The evidence was right there. Steve had done nothing, yet Sam had still killed him.

Without turning to either of the brothers, I moved over to the weapons shelf, grabbed the knife I'd been looking at and left the room, storming off to the car.

As much as I wanted to yell and scream at Sam because he'd killed Steve, I also wanted to comfort Sam because he was my friend. The conflicting emotions were too much for me to bare. So, I decided to leave instead, ignoring Dean as he called after me.

**DPOV**

I was wiping down every surface. Anywhere any of us had touched, I had to clean it all. We couldn't leave any evidence behind. Sam may have killed the guy, but I knew it wasn't him. Not really. He must have been tricked. He didn't deserve to go down for something he didn't actually do.

Turning to Sam as he sat at the desk, I pointed to the computer. "How do you erase this, huh?" but he just kept looking at the papers in his hands. "Sam, come on. I need your help."

"I killed him, Dean. I just broke in and killed him."

"Listen to me. This guy is a hunter. Which means other hunters are gonna come looking for his killer. Which means we gotta cover our tracks, okay?"

"He was Lizzie's friend." Sam shook his head and gestured to the papers he held. "This is a letter from his daughter." he tossed the letter on to the desk.

He wasn't going to help. He was in shock. Sam, he'd never killed someone before. Things, yes. But a person? That was always my job if we ever had to do it.

I wasn't going to let him go down for this.

Grabbing the computer tower, I lifted it into the air before smashing it against the ground. It broke into pieces, but for extra measure, I stomped on it a few times. By the time I was done, there was no way anyone would have been able to fix it.

Looking back at Sam, there was fear in his eyes. I just threw a cloth on to the desk in front of him. "Wipe your prints. Then we go." I told him before leaving the room to do the rest of the house.

**EPOV**

As we walked back into the hotel room, Dean flicked on the light and held the door open for me. I gave a quick thanks as I continued to follow Sam into the bedroom area.

"All right, we get a couple of hours sleep, then put this place in our rear-view mirror. Liz, no couch so you're crashing with me." Dean told us, moving to dump his bag on one of the beds.

Nodding, I dumped my own bag on to the bed as well. But Sam stayed silent, causing both Dean and I to look at him with concern. We had no idea what would happen next, but I wasn't giving up on these guys.

Dean sighed. "Look, I know this is bad, Sam, okay? But you gotta snap out of it. Sam, say something."

"Just get some sleep and leave in the morning? Murder, Dean. That's what I did." Sam looked to me. "I killed your friend."

I shook my head. "We don't know that."

"Maybe it was a shapeshifter." Dean suggested.

Sam scoffed. "Oh, come on. It wasn't. You both saw the tape. There was no eye flare, no distortion."

"But it wasn't you." Dean insisted. "All right? Yeah, it might have been you, but it wasn't you."

Nothing we said was getting through to Sam. "Well, I think it was." he took a seat on the other bed. "I think maybe more than you know."

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean asked.

"For the last few weeks, I've been having... I've been having these feelings."

Sam's vague response didn't really answer Dean's question. "What feelings?"

"Rage. Hate. And I can't stop it. It just gets worse."

Dean moved over to my side of the bed, taking a seat next to where I still stood as we continued to listen to Sam.

"Day by day, it gets worse."

"You never told me this."

Sam looked up at him guiltily. "I didn't wanna scare you. Either of you."

"Well, bang-up job on that." Dean shook his head, standing back up.

Watching his brother walk off, Sam went on. "Dean, the Yellow-Eyed Demon, you know he has plans for me. And we both know he's turned other children into killers before too."

"No." I shook my head, taking a seat next to Sam. "No demon is going to turn _you_ into a killer, Sam."

"She's right." Dean nodded. "No one can control you but you."

Sam stood up from the bed, moving so he was away from both Dean and me. "Doesn't seem like that." he argued. "It feels like no matter what I do, slowly but surely I'm becoming-"

"What?" Dean asked, cutting him off.

"Who I'm meant to be." Sam shrugged. "You said it once yourself, Dean. I gotta face up to who I am."

"I didn't mean this!"

"But it's still true. You know that. Dad knew that too. That's why he told you if it ever came to this-"

"Shut up, Sam."

"Dean, you promised him. You promised me."

"No." Dean shook his head. "Listen to me. We're gonna figure this out, okay? I mean, there's gotta be a way, right?"

"Yeah, there is." Sam reached into Dean's bag and pulled out a gun, offering it to his brother.

I shot up from where I'd still been sitting. "Sam."

He gestured for me to stay back. "Lizzie, this is what I want."

"No." walking around, I stood so I was facing both of them, but turned my attention to Sam. "No, there's a better way than this."

"I don't wanna hurt anyone else." Sam sighed. "I don't want to hurt either of you."

"You won't." Dean assured him. "Whatever this is, you can fight it."

"No. I can't. Not forever." tears were forming in Sam's eyes as he nodded to the gun. "Here, you gotta do it." but when Dean didn't move, Sam grabbed his brother's hand and put the gun in his grasp.

Dean looked down at the weapon. "You know, I've tried so hard to keep you safe."

Sam gave a sharp nod. "I know."

Turning to the older brother, I hoped and prayed he wasn't going to do what it looked like he was going to do. "Dean..."

"I can't. I'd rather die." he dropped the gun back on to the bed and walked away from it, behind Sam.

It was all too much. Unsure what to so, I froze, looking from brother to brother. They were two of my best friends. No. They _were_ my best friends. The months we'd spent together. All the fights and battles we'd fought together. They were family. To see both of them like this, so broken, it broke my own heart.

"No." Sam shook his head. "You'll live." Dean and I watched as he grabbed the gun and turned to his brother. "You'll live to regret this."

The sudden change in his tone, and attitude was such a shock, neither Dean or I had a chance to react before Sam hit Dean over the head with the butt of the gun, knocking him out.

"Dean!" I went to rush over to help him, but froze as Sam aimed the gun at me.

He clicked his tongue. "Nuh-uh, Lizzie. Don't take another step."

Raising my hands as I stayed where I was, I glared at Sam. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you for a drive." he grinned, gesturing to the door. "You go first. Make a wrong move, and I'll shoot the first person I see. It won't be you. You, I'm gonna keep alive."

**Bamby**


	18. Blood

**DPOV**

A loud knocking woke me up. The first thing I noticed- besides the fact my head hurt and I was on the ground- was the fact it was light out. When Sam had knocked me out- yeah, I remembered that- it was night time. But now it was morning. Late morning to be exact.

The door to the room opened as a man i didn't know stepped in. "It's past your check out." he told me before stepping out of the room again.

I got to my feet a followed him, still a little out of it. "What?"

"It's past checkout, and I have a couple here who need your room." the guy told me, nodding out to the hall.

I looked out to see a business man a prostitute standing there. "Yeah, I bet they do. What time is it?" I asked, checking my watch.

"Twelve-thirty." the guy answered.

 _So maybe it wasn't morning... I must've been out longer than I thought._ "The guy and girl that were with me, you seen them?"

"Yeah, they left before dawn, in your car. And you should've gone with them because now I'm gonna have to charge you extra."

"Oh, son of a bitch."

"That's just the policy, sir."

I didn't care about the cash. I cared about Sam and Liz. Whatever was wrong with Sam, was bad enough. But the fact he took Liz... If he was going to kill her, he would have done it here. Which had me wondering what he was going to do. He could do anything to her.

There was only one way I could think of that would help me find them. GPS. "I need to use your computer."

"Why would I let you use my computer?"

...

After I gave the hotel guy more money than necessary, he let me use his computer. I logged on to the phone GPS site and called the company in order to get Sam's phone's GPS turned on. I talked to the woman on the other side of the phone and got the location of Sam's phone.

Duluth, Minnesota.

I wasn't sure why he would go all the way over there, or why he took Liz, but I knew one thing for sure… if I wanted to catch up I needed to get on the road as soon as possible.

**EPOV**

I woke up with a groan, finding myself tied to a thick wooden pole in a bar. Once Sam and I had gotten into the car, he'd pushed me against the dash. I'd hit my head hard which knocked me out. The side of my head hurt, I was sure I was bleeding too.

Looking in front of me now, I was met with a smiling Sam who sat on a backwards chair as he looked up at me. "Morning, Sunshine."

I snarled. "Whoever you are, I'm gonna enjoy ripping you from my friend." this wasn't Sam. I knew that now.

The Thing's smile widened. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you? Mm-hmm." it hummed. "Wasn't too sure at first, but I know now. You're the one that got away."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, having no idea what the Thing meant.

"Right, you don't know. Of course you don't." shrugging, the Thing stood and pushed its chair away. Stepping closer to me, it lifted a finger, brushing my hair away from my neck. "I could smell it the moment you and Dean walked into the hotel room. The dormant energy running through your veins." it leaned forward despite my struggles, pressing its nose to my neck as it breathed in. "You're just like, Sammy. You're special."

My blood ran cold. "What?"

"That's right." chuckling, the Thing pulled away so it could look me in the eyes. "See, if it wasn't for that deal you mum had made, we wouldn't have lost you. We thought you'd disappeared, but you were right there, under our noses this whole time."

I shook my head. "I'm not like Sam. I don't have any powers or abilities."

"Not yet." the Thing grinned. Reaching into the back of its pants, it pulled out a hunting knife. I flinched at the sight of the blade. "Don't worry. This is for me, not you." it assured me before running the blade along its palm, causing blood to pool out of the wound. "Now be a good girl, and hold still."

There was no way I could fight against what happened next.

The Thing held my head with its good hand as it pressed the bleeding palm against my lips, forcing its blood into my mouth.

I struggled and cried as I felt the liquid coat my tongue, the taste of copper filling my mouth. Refusing to swallow, I tried to spit it out, but the hand was still pressed against me, blocking the exit. Before long I had no choice but to let the blood roll down my throat.

"Good girl." the Thing pet my head with its good hand. "Nothing like a good dose of demon blood to get the juices flowing."

Alarms rang in my head. I had no idea what the blood was going to do to me, but I had a feeling it wasn't going to be good. It scared me. Right down to the core. I was terrified. But not just for myself. For everyone else as well. If Sam was supposed to turn into some kind of monster, that means I would as well. What if we couldn't stop it? What if we could only save Sam?

Chuckling in my ear, the Thing finally lowered its hand from my lips. It was enjoying this, my torture, my fear.

A groan caught our attention, I looked behind the Thing for the first time, seeing Jo tied to the pole opposite me.

"Jo!" I struggled against my binds.

She slowly lifted her head to look at me. "Lizzie? What the hell's going on?" she looked to the Thing in Sam's body. "What are you doing?"

Leaving me, the Thing walked over to her. "Jo." it smiled. "So, what exactly did you mum tell you about how your dad died?"

She glared at it. "You're not Sam."

"Don't be so sure about that. Answer the question." the Thing told her. When she didn't respond, it sighed and took a seat on the table by her. "Come on." it lifted a knife to her face. "It's me. You can tell me anything. You know that."

"Leave her alone." I warned.

"Lizzie, sweetie..." the Thing turned to me, a sickly-sweet smile on its face. "Why don't we shut you up?" walking over to me, it pulled out a rag, which was then tied around my mouth like a gag. "There we go." moving to Jo again, it pressed the tip of the blade to her cheek. "Answer the question."

"Fine." she glared, knowing she had no real choice here.

The Thing's smile widened. "Fine."

"Our dads were in California. Devil's Gate Reservoir. They were setting a trap for some kind of hell spawn. John was hiding, waiting. And my dad was bait."

The Thing laughed. "That's just like John. Oh, I bet he dangled Bill like meat on a hook." getting back to it, it stood. "Then what?" it asked, moving to stand behind her, listening.

"The thing showed up. John got too eager. Jumped out too soon. Got my dad exposed out in the open. the Thing tuned around, and killed him." I could see her fighting back tears that threatened to spill over.

"Hmm." the Thing leaned against the pole next to her. "Not quite."

She turned her head towards it, though not so much that she could see it. "What?"

"What? Oh, see it hurt him. It didn't kill him." the Thing explained. "You really don't know the truth, do you? I bet your mum doesn't either."

"Know what?"

"You see, Bill... was all clawed up. Was holding his insides in his hands. He was gurgling, and praying to see you and Ellen one more time. So my dad killed him." the Thing leaned closer to her ear, a smile on its face as it spoke, knowing she was on the verge of crying. "Put him out of his misery like a sick dog."

"You're lying." her voice shook.

"I'm not. It's true." it insisted. "My daddy shot your daddy in the head." the Thing told her in a sing-song voice.

"How could you know that?"

"I hear things."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Like daddy like daughter. You're bait. Lizzie's just here for the ride." the Thing stabbed the knife into the wooden pole she was tied to before pulling a cloth out from its back pocket. "Open up." without giving her a chance to do what it said, it forced the cloth round her moth, gagging her. "That's a girl."

The door of the bar opened as Dean rushed in, aiming his gun at the Thing. "Sam!"

The Thing grabbed its knife and pressed it against Jo's throat as it pretended to be Sam again. "I begged you to stop me, Dean!"

"Put the knife down, damn it."

"I told you, I can't fight it! My head feels like it's on fire, all right? Dean, kill me or I'm gonna kill both of them." the Thing gestured to Jo and myself. "Please. You'll be doing me a favour. Shoot me." when Dean did nothing, it pulled away from Jo, opening its arms out wide. "Shoot me!"

Dean looked from Jo to me, he wanted to save us, but he would never hurt his brother. "No, Sammy. Come on." he lowered his gun and turned away.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Dean?" the Thing walked over to him. "Are you that scared of being alone that you'd rather let Jo and Lizzie die?!"

Dean spun around, flask in hand, throwing water on to the Thing. The water steamed and the Thing stumbled back, clearly in pain.

"That's holy water, you demonic son of a bitch!" Dean snapped.

The Thing turned to him, eyes now black and angry. But Dean just threw more water at it, causing the Thing to scream and yell. When Dean stopped, it ran off, jumping out a window.

Hurrying over to me, Dean pulled out his knife and cut me loose. "You okay?" he was in a hurry as he pulled my gag away. But the moment he saw the blood smeared on my face, he froze.

Pushing him away, I shook my head. "I'm fine. Go. I'll stay with Jo."

There was a slight hesitation before he gave a sharp nod. "I'll be back."

A small smile played on my lips. "You better be."

Without another word, he went after the demon in Sam's body.

**DPOV**

Walking around a warehouse on the docks, I held my gun up as I looked for the demon in Sam's body. I'd figure it wasn't my brother after he knocked me out and took Liz. If it had been Sam, he wouldn't have taken her. That was just a way to mess with our heads. This Thing was playing games with us.

"So, who are you?" I called.

"I got lots of names."

Moving around the warehouse carefully, trying to stay hidden, I continued to call out to the Thing in the hopes I could find it. "You've been in Sam since he disappeared, haven't you?"

"Should've seen your face when you thought he murdered that guy. Pathetic."

I hide behind a wooden crate. "Why didn't you kill me? Or Liz? You had a dozen chances."

Noise form the other side of the warehouse caused me to turn in that direction. The sound of feet on wood in the opposite direction of the other noise told me the first noise had been a distracting, and that I was close to the Thing.

"No, that would've been too easy. Where's the fun in that? See, this was a test. Wanted to see if I could push you far enough to waste Sam. Should've known you wouldn't have the sack. Anyway, fun's over now."

"Oh, well, I hope you got your kicks. 'Cause you're gonna pay hell for this."

"How? You can't hurt me. Not without hurting your little brother. See, I think you're gonna die, Dean. You and every other hunter I can find. One look at Sam's dewy, sensitive eyes, they'll let me right in their door."

I put my gun away, grabbing my flask out again. I wasn't going to shoot Sam. But maybe there was a way I could stun the Thing with holy water long enough to trap it somehow. I was not going to kill my brother just because some demonic pest had taken over his body.

Footsteps rushing had me freeze as I looked around for any signs of movement. That's when I noticed the shadow of the Thing as it walked out of the warehouse and on to the docks outside.

I was up, carefully following. Stepping out, I stayed close to the walls as I looked around to see where the Thing had gone. But I couldn't see it. The only other way was over the dock.

Stepping up to the edge, I looked down at the water, seeing no signs of life- or death- down there. If the Thing had jumped, I would have heard it right? Right, so it must have gone a different way.

Turning, I was about to go look when I stopped, seeing the Thing standing in the middle of the docks, aiming a gun at me. Without a word, it pulled the trigger. Without a sound, I fell over the edge and into the water.

**EPOV**

When Dean didn't come back right away, Jo and I got worried. When he took longer than we were willing to wait, we got up and started searching the docks. While she shone the light of her torch around, I called his mobile, hoping he'd pick up. But all I got was his voice message.

" _This is Dean. Leave a message_."

Sighing, I hung up the phone. "Reminded me to kick his ass when we find him." I mumbled.

Walking in silence we refused to give up. There was an endless list of things the demon in Sam could have done to him, or was still doing to him. It made me sick, the thought of the Thing making Sam hurt his brother.

Dialling Dean's number again, I tried one more time, hoping that this time he might pick up.

Jo grabbed my arm, stopping me. "You hear that?"

I lowered my phone from my ear, hearing music. Not just any music, it was Dean's ringtone.

Following the sound, I moved closer to the edge of the docks. Down below, I could see a body lying on a ramp, the waves of the water slashing up, reaching the person's waist. They were unmoving, silent... Fear and worry threw me into action.

"Dean." I crouched and grabbed the edge of the dock before jumping down on to the ramp. Kneeling by Dean, I rolled him over as Jo climbed down as well. "Dean, wake up." when he didn't move, I didn't hesitate to lean over him and start giving him mouth to mouth.

He coughed against me, waking up. Pulling away, I helped him sit up as he continued to cough out the water which had been in his lungs.

"Take it easy." Jo told him, helping me keep him up.

He shivered, voice shaking from the cold. "Where's Sam?"

"We don't know." I shook my head. "We've been looking for you." when I noticed he was holding his left shoulder, I reached over him to take a look. Pulling his jacket and shirt away, I could see a bullet wound. "Shit. He's been shot."

"There's medical supplies in the bar." Jo noted.

"All right. Come on, then. Get up. We gotta fix you and find Sam." I stood, moving behind Dean to help him to his feet. Once he was standing, his good arm wrapped around my shoulders for support as we headed back to the bar.

...

"Don't be a baby."

"Oh, God." Dean groaned and flinched as Jo dug around in his shoulder, trying to find the bullet.

"All right, almost. All right, got it. Got it." she pulled the bullet out and dropped it into a shot glass full of vodka.

I stepped forward then, holding the bandages. Getting to work, I covered the wound as Jo cleaned everything up and Dean sat there, drinking bourbon out of a bottle.

"You're a butcher." he mumbled at Jo.

She didn't even look at him. "You're welcome."

Sighing, he turned his head to look up at me. "We done?"

Shaking my head, I continued to patch him up. "I want to help Sam too, but I need to patch you up first. Can't exactly save the day if you're bleeding to death."

Instead of responding, he just started to drink again, so Jo was the one to speak next. "So, how did you know that he was possessed?"

"I didn't." Dean answered honestly. "I just knew that it couldn't have been him."

She hesitated before asking her next question. "I know demons lie, but do that ever tell the truth?" she asked, avoiding my gaze as I looked down at her knowingly. She wanted to know if John really did kill her father.

"Uh, yeah, sometimes, I guess." Dean shrugged with his good shoulder. "Especially if they know it'll mess with your head. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing. It doesn't matter." she lied. It wasn't his fault her father died, and I understood that she didn't want to drag him into it. "So, do you have any idea where Sam's headed?"

"So far he's going after the nearest hunter. So the closest one I know is in South Dakota."

I froze. "South Dakota?"

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

"I'm done." pulling his sleeve back into place, I looked to Jo. "We gotta go. You good here?"

She looked at me confused. "I'm coming with you."

"No. You're not. Neither of you are." Dean told us, matter-of-factly.

"Bullshit. Last time I left you, you got shot. You're stuck with me, buddy." grabbing my jacket, I gave Jo a warning look. "You, stay here." she opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. "Don't argue with me."

Giving up the fight with me, Dean nodded at Jo. "You try and follow us, I'll tie you right back to that post and leave you here. I'm not getting your blood on my hands. That's just how it's gonna be."

"So your fine getting Lizzie killed?"

"Oh, I could try and stop her, but I'll be the one stuck to the pole if I do." he grabbed his jacket off the back of a chair. "Thanks for the help, though. I'll call you later, okay?" he told her as he turned to leave.

Once he was gone, I rested a hand on Jo's arm. "I know you're pissed. But I really am sorry." leaning forward, I kissed her cheek before walking off to follow Dean. "Talk to you soon." I called over my shoulder as I left the bar.

**DPOV**

I lifted my hand to knock on Bobby's front door as Liz and I came to stand in front of it. But Liz just reached and turned the handle before walking inside. She didn't hesitate for one second.

"What are you doing?" I followed her,

Before she could respond, Bobby walked around the corner and stopped as he looked at her confused. "Lizzie?"

"Hey, Bobby." she gave him a small smile, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

He squeezed her back. "Heard you'd joined some hunters. Had no idea you were with the Winchesters."

"Yeah." she nodded, stepping back. "You haven't seen Sam around by any chance, have you?"

Normally I would have had a hundred question. How did they know each other? Why hadn't either of them ever mentioned the other? Why hadn't Bobby ever brought Liz along when we'd hunted with him? If Liz knew him, had she ever met my dad? How long have they known each other?

But all those questions were put on standby when Bobby nodded to her. "Yeah. He's tied up in my study, actually." the two of us followed him as he led us to where Sam was in fact tied to a chair, under a devil's trap.

...

I stepped up to the Thing, slapping it across its face to wake it up. "Hey!"

Groaning, it woke up and looked to me. I looked up at the ceiling, which the Thing then did as well, seeing the trap. It sighed, turning back to me. "Dean. Back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

"How about I smack that smart-ass right out of your mouth?"

"Oh, careful, now. Wouldn't wanna bruise this fine packaging." it grinned at me.

"Don't worry. This isn't gonna hurt Sam much." I shrugged. "You on the other hand..." I nodded at Liz who tossed a bucket of holy water onto the Thing, causing it to scream. "Feel like talking now?"

"Sam's still my meat puppet." it spoke through gritted teeth, fighting through the pain. "I'll make him bite off his tongue."

"No. You won't be in him long enough. Bobby." I gave a short nod.

Bobby stepped forward as he started the exorcism.

_"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus_

_omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio_

_infernalis adversarii, omnis legio,_

_omnis congregatio et secta diabolica."_

I leaned in closer to the Thing. "See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up, you're not getting Sam." I told it as it struggled. "You understand me? Because I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

_"Ergo draco maledicte_

_et omnis legio diabolica adjuramus te._

_cessa decipere humanas creaturas,_

_eisque aeternae Perditionis venenum propinare."_

Bobby paused as the Thing laughed. "You really think that's what this is about? The master plan? I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan."

Bobby looked to me, and I nodded again, not caring what the Thing had to say.

 _"Humiliare sub potenti manu Dei-_ "

"Oops." the Thing cut him off. "Doesn't seem to be working. See, I learned a few new tricks." lowering its head, it began to speak in Latin. Suddenly, the fire in the fireplace burst, burning bright and dangerous. The wind began to howl and the ground began to shake.

"This isn't going like I pictured." I yelled over the howling. "What's going on, Bobby?"

Stepping up to the Thing, Bobby rolled up the it's left sleeve, revealing a burn scar I'd never seen before. "It's a binding link. It's like a lock. He's locked himself inside Sam's body."

"So what the hell do we do?" Liz asked.

Bobby shook his head, stepping back. "I don't know."

The Thing stopped chanting as it threw its head back. The roof cracked, breaking the trap. "There. That's better." it grinned, eyes black.

With a quick look to Bobby, the Thing threw him across the room. Then it turned to Liz, sending her to the other side, opposite Bobby. Turning to me, it sent me back as well. I crashed into the wall behind me, my flask of holy water flying out of my hand.

The Thing ripped its arms free from its binds. Getting up, it moved to crouch in front of me. "You know when people wanna describe the worst possible thing? They say it's 'like hell'." grabbing my shirt, it lifted its fist and punched me in the face. "Well, there's a reason for that. Hell is like a..." it punched me again. "Well, it's like hell. Even for demons." another punch. "It's a prison made of bone and flesh, and blood and fear." another punch. "And you sent me back there."

I snarled at the Thing, now knowing who it was. "Meg?"

"No. Not anymore. Now I'm Sam." it punched me again. "By the way..." reaching for my shoulder, it pressed down on my wound, "I saw your dad there. He says, 'Howdy'." I groaned and struggled against it, feeling a pain like no other, pulsing through as it added more pressure. "All that I had to hold on to was that I would climb out one day. And then I was gonna torture you. Nice and slow, like pulling the wings off an insect.

"But whatever I do to you, it's nothing compared to what you do to yourself, is it? I can see it in your eyes, Dean. You're worthless. You couldn't save your dad. And deep down, you know that you can't save your brother. They'd have been better off without you." it raised its fist again.

Before it could hit me, Liz grabbed its arm. Using the knife she'd taken from Steve's, she sliced the binding link, breaking it. The Thing screamed as it was forced out of Sam's body. Black smoke filled the air before leaving out the fire place.

Sam fell to the ground, looking around scared and confused. The pain in his arm registered as he grasped the cut.

"Sammy?"

He looked to each face in the room. "Did I miss anything?"

Instead of saying anything back, I leaned forward and slammed my fist into his face.

**EPOV**

I walked back into Bobby's study, a hand pressed to my forehead. My head was killing me. The lights were too bright, and everything was spinning. I had to grab on to a shelf to keep myself from falling over.

"Lizzie?" Sam's voice was smothered with concern.

"You okay?" Dean asked, moving to get up so he could help me.

I gestured for him to stay where he was. "I'm fine. Just a headache." I told them as I moved to sit next to Dean. My eyes looked up, catching Sam's.

We knew he remembered everything. He'd been awake the whole time the demon was in him. I think that was part of the torture. Forcing him to witness all the horrible things the demon was doing to people while in his body. But the fact he remembered everything meant he knew about me as well. He knew what I was, that we were alike. He knew what the demon had done and said to me. He knew it all.

"I'll be fine." I assured him.

Bobby walked into the room, hanging up his mobile as he moved to stand by my chair. "You boys ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wandel?"

Sam shifted uncomfortably while Dean played it cool. "Why do you ask?"

"Just heard from a friend. Wandel's dead. Murdered in his own house." Bobby answered. "You wouldn't know anything about that?"

"No, sir." Dean lied. "Never heard of the guy."

"Dean..." Sam clearly wanted to tell the truth, but Bobby spoke before he could say anymore.

"Good. Keep it that way. Wandel's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up. They're not gonna slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?" when the guys nodded, Bobby nudged my shoulder. "I'm gonna need that knife too. People will know it was his."

Sighing, I pulled Steve's knife out from my boot and handed it over without a word.

"We better hit the road." Dean nodded, standing up. "Here." he offered me a hand to help me up.

But I didn't take it. "I, uh... I think I'm gonna stay here for a while."

"Really? Why?" Dean actually looked offended and worried as if he thought he'd done something wrong.

It was because of the demon. It's blood and what it told me. I knew my headache wasn't from being knocked out and thrown around. It was because of the blood. Whatever was inside Sam, was in me as well, and it was waking me up. Until I understood what that meant, I didn't want to be going from place to place. I wanted to be home.

But I didn't want Dean or Bobby knowing anything yet, so instead, I lied. "After everything that's happened the last couple of days, I think you guys need some brother time." I shrugged. "But don't worry. I'll be back."

Still a little unsure, Dean reluctantly nodded. "You better be."

"Here. Take these." Bobby offered him and Sam two charms.

"What are they?" Sam asked.

"Charms. They'll fend off possession." Bobby answered. "That demon's still out there. This'll stop it from getting back up in you."

"You have a way with words, Bobby." I grinned.

"It does sound vaguely dirty." Dean agreed. "But thanks."

"You're welcome." Bobby nodded. "You boys be careful, now."

"You too." Sam gave him a small smile.

Dean gestured to me. "You take care of Liz."

"Don't worry, she's in safe hands." Bobby assured him. "Now get out of here."

Still sitting by the desk, I watched as Sam and Dean left. Before closing the door behind him, Dean's eyes caught mine.

I wanted to go with them. I knew they wanted me to go with them too. We'd become a little family, and watching them go without me, it hurt. But I couldn't go. Not yet. First, I had to figure out what that demon had done to me.

**Bamby**


	19. Fool me Once

**SPOV**

I sat on the couch in the hotel room, looking through books on lore, trying to find anything that might help Dean and I with this case. Dean was sitting on _my_ bed, eating chilli fries, listening to the radio on the nightstand as he read through the newspaper. We'd been her for a few days now and had no idea what we were dealing with. Though it didn't really help that we were at each other's throats.

Looking up at him, my stomach turned as he stuffed more fries in his mouth. "Dude, you mind not eating those on my bed?"

"No, I don't mind." he grabbed more, shoving them in his mouth. "How's research going?"

"You know how it's going?" I slammed the book I'd been reading closed. "Slow. You know how it would go a heck of a lot faster? If I had my computer."

He nodded, smiling smugly at me.

Grabbing the next book, I tried to read, but couldn't focus with his music playing. "Can you turn that down, please?"

"Yeah, absolutely." but instead of turning it down, he turned it up.

I glared at him. "You know what, maybe uh... maybe you should just go somewhere for a while."

He turned the music off. "Hey, I'd love to. That's a great idea. Unfortunately, my car's all screwed to hell." he snapped.

Shaking my head, I felt my own agitation build as I snapped back to him. "Dean, I told you, I had nothing to do-"

A knock cut me off.

Sighing, I got off the couch and moved to the door. Looking through the peep hole I saw Bobby and Lizzie standing on the other side. Turning the handle, I opened the door and let them in. "Hey, Bobby. Lizzie."

"Boys." Bobby nodded, walking in.

Lizzie didn't say anything though. Actually, she didn't look so good. Large black glasses covered her eyes, she had sickly pale skin, and it looked as if she'd lost some weight too. Her hands shook, she was hunched over slightly as she held onto the door frame to help keep her standing on two feet. She looked like death walking.

It had been a month since she decided to stay back at Bobby's. Neither Dean or I had heard from her which was concerning, and seeing her now didn't help.

"Liz." Dean got off my bed as he looked her up and down. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Bathroom?" was all she said.

"Yeah, uh, over there." I gestured over my shoulder. She nodded her thanks before walking off, closing the door behind her. Once she was gone, Dean and I turned to Bobby. "What's wrong with her?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. At first, she was fine. A few headaches here and there, but everything was normal. Then one day she just didn't leave her room. I went up to check on her, and she looked like hell. This is the first time she's left the house in over two weeks."

"And you didn't think to call us and let us know?" Dean asked accusingly.

"Oh, I did. But-"

"I wouldn't let him." Lizzie cut Bobby off as she walked back into the room, the glasses no longer covering her eyes. They had dark bags under them, and were red from both a lack of sleep and too much strain. "If he told you guys, you would have dropped everything to come help me."

Dean gave a short nod. "Damn straight we would have."

"I didn't want you worrying about me. I wouldn't even let Bobby stay home if there was a job to do." she noted, which did nothing to ease my concern. "I'm perfectly fine."

I shook my head. "You're really not, Lizzie."

Sighing, she rested a hand on the wall to keep her steady. "Look, can I just sit down? Then you guys can tell us what the problem is, okay?"

"Yeah, here." Dean quickly shoved everything off his bed for her.

"Thanks." she gave a small smile as she went to move. But it was clear she was struggling as she wobbled on the spot.

"Let me help." I stepped up to her, and placed a hand on her back so I could help her to the bed.

Dean moved to sit next to her, his worried eyes watching her carefully. I sat on my own bed, on the edge, right across from her so if she needed help I could reach over and be there for her.

"So, what did you boys wanna talk to me about?" Bobby asked as he pulled a chair over and took a seat between the beds, also close to Lizzie.

"It's this job we're working." I answered. "We're not too sure you're gonna believe us."

Bobby laughed. "I can believe a lot."

"Yeah, I know. It's just, we've never seen anything like it." I explained.

"Not even close." Dean added.

"We thought we could use some fresh eyes." I finished.

Bobby shrugged. "Why don't you begin at the beginning."

Nodding, I went on to tell him the story. "Yeah, all right. So it all started when we caught wind of an obit. See, a professor took a nosedive from a fourth-story window. Only there's a campus legend that the building's haunted. So we pretexted as reporters from the local paper."

...

_I sat at a table in a bar, placing a voice recorder on the table as I looked to the male and female college students I was 'interviewing'._

_"Yeah, we both had the professor for Ethics and Morality." the guy told me._

_"Yeah? So why do you think he did it?" I asked._

_"Who knows?" the girl shrugged. "He was tenured, wife and kids, his book was like a really big deal. But then again, who's to say it was suicide?"_

_The guy rolled his eyes at here. "Jen, come on."_

_I'd heard about the legends, but I wanted to know more. "Well, what else could it be?"_

_"Well, you know about Crawford Hall." Jen asked as if there was no way I didn't._

_"No, I don't, actually." I lied._

_"It's a bunch of crap. A total urban legend." the guy told me._

_But Jen didn't agree. "Yeah, well, Heather's mum went to school here and she knew the girl."_

_"Wait, what girl?"_

_Jen turned back to me. "Like, thirty years ago, this girl was having an affair with some professor. He broke it off. She jumped out the window and killed herself."_

_"You know her name?"_

_She shook her head. "No. But they say she jumped from room 669. Get it? You turn the nine upside down." I gave a short nod as the guy next to her laughed. Ignoring him, she went on. "So now she haunts the building. And anyone who sees her, they don't live to tell the tale."_

_"If no one lived to tell the tale, then how does the tale get told?" the guy asked._

_"Curtis, shut up." she snapped at him._

_"You know what?" I grabbed the voice recorder, turning it off and putting it back in my pocket. "Thanks a lot, guys. Excuse me." standing up, I moved over to the bar._

_Dean was downing these purple shots that did not look too good. He didn't look too good, clearly drunk._

_"Dean, what are you... what are you drinking?"_

_He belched as he turned to me. "I don't know, man. I think they're called purple nurples." he laughed._

_"Listen, I think maybe we should check out the professor's office."_

_"Oh, no, no, no, no. I can't right now. 'Cause I got some feisty little wildcat on the hook. I'm about to reel her in. I'll introduced you."_

_"Dean-"_

_He just ignored me, turning to the woman behind him. "Starla. Starla, hey. This is my shuttle copilot, Major Tom." Dean gestured to me. "Major Tom, Starla."_

_Starla was as wasted as he was, if not more. She wore fishnet stocking, a way-too-short denim skirt, tight pink shirt that showed way too much, blue eyes shadow, and her blonde hair was a mess of curls._

_She smiled widely at me, leaning against Dean. "Enchanté."_

_"Hi." I smiled uncomfortably at her._

_Her smile fell as she raised a hand to her mouth. It looked like she was going to be sick, but as she stepped back, she stopped anything from coming out. "Sorry." she smiled again. "Just trying to keep my liquor down."_

_Dean laughed. "Yeah. Good job." he turned back to me. "Hey, good news. She's got a sister."_

**DPOV**

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I shook my head at Sam. "Hold on a minute."

He shrugged. "What?"

"Come on, dude. That's not how it happened."

"No? So you never drank a purple nurple?"

"Yeah. Maybe that." I admitted. "But, I don't say things like 'feisty little wildcat'. And her name wasn't Starla."

"Then what was it?"

I tried to remember, but couldn't for the life of me come up with her name. "I don't know. But she was a classy chick. She was a grad student. Anthropology and Folklore. We were talking about local ghost stories."

...

_She stood in front of me in a black dress, looking both respectable and sexy. Her blond curls falling over her shoulders. "Here's to-"_

_"Here's to us." I finished, clinking my shot glass against hers before we downed the liquid._

_She lowered the glass, looking up at me. "My God, you are attractive."_

_"Thanks, but no time for that now. You need to tell me about this urban legend. Please, lives are at stake."_

_"I'm sorry, I just... I can't even concentrate." she pushed off the bar she'd been leaning against, stepping closer to me. "It's like staring... into the sun." she ran her hand up my chest, as she leaned forward to kiss me._

_The moment our lips pressed together, we were interrupted._

_"Dean, what do you think you're doing?" Sam asked from behind me, being his normal annoying self._

_Sighing, I pulled away from the girl and turned to him. "Sam, please. If you wouldn't mind, just give me five minutes here."_

_"Dean, this is a very serious investigation. We don't have time for any of your blah, blah, blah, blah. Blah, blah, blah, blah."_

_I looked back to the girl, leaning in closer again-_

...

Liz groaned. "Okay, yeah, enough of that. I'm already feeling gross, don't make me throw up, too." she mumbled beside me.

"I don't sound like that, Dean." Sam argued.

I shrugged. "That's what you sound like to me."

"Okay, what's going on with you two?" Bobby looked between us curiously as if trying to figure what was wrong.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Sam assured him.

But Bobby wasn't buying it. "Come on. Now, you're bickering like an old married couple."

I shook my head. "No. See, married couples can get divorced. Me, and him, we're like Siamese twins." getting up, I reached for my chilli fires and went to go put them in the fridge.

"It's conjoined twins." Sam corrected, but it just proved my point.

"See what I mean?"

Sighing, Sam turned back to Bobby. "Look it... we've just been on the road for too long. Tight quarters, all that. Don't worry about it."

"Okay." Bobby didn't bother pressing for more.

Sam got back to the story. "So anyway, we figured it might be a haunting, so we went to check out the scene of the crime."

**SPOV**

_"So, how long you been working here?" I asked the janitor as he led Dean and I into the dead professor's office. We were posing as electricians._

_"I've been mopping this floor for six years." he answered as he opened the office door and flicked on the lights. "There you go, guys." when I pulled out the EMF reader, he looked at it confused. "What the heck's that for?"_

_"Just finding wires in the walls." I shrugged._

_"Huh. Well..." the janitor leaned against the wall. "Not sure why you're wiring up this office. Won't do the professor much good."_

_"Why's that?" Dean asked as I looked around the room._

_"He's dead."_

_"Oh, what happened?" Dean moved over to a counter, grabbing a bowl of toffee._

_"He went out that window right there." the janitor pointed to the only window in the room._

_I turned to look at the window. "Yeah? Were you working that night?"_

_The janitor gave a sharp nod. "I'm the one who found him."_

_"You see it happen?"_

_"Nope." he shook his head at my question. "I just saw him come up here and... well..."_

_"What?"_

_"He wasn't alone."_

_"Who was he with?" Dean asked, mouth stuffed with toffee._

...

Dean glared at me as he sat back down next to Lizzie. "Come on, I ate one, maybe two."

"Just let me tell it, okay?" I snapped. He'd over exaggerated me, I was just repaying the favour.

_..._

_"He was with a young lady." the janitor explained. "I told the cops about her, but I guess they never found her."_

_"You saw this girl go in, huh? But did you ever see her come out?" I asked._

_The janitor thought about it for a moment before answering. "Now that you mention it, no."_

_"You ever see her before, around?"_

_"Not her." the way he said it had me more curious._

_Apparently, Dean was too. "What do you mean?" I was surprised we could understand him with how full his mouth was._

_"I don't mean to cast aspersions on a dead guy, but uh, Mr Morality here? He brought a lot of girls up here. Got more ass than a toilet seat."_

_Dean laughed, stuffing more toffee into his mouth._

_"One more thing, this building, it only has four stories, right?"_

_"Yeah." the janitor nodded._

_"So there wouldn't be a room 669?"_

_"Of course not. Why do you ask?"_

_"Just curious." I shrugged. "Thanks for the help."_

_The janitor nodded. "Yeah." with that, he left us to get to work._

**DPOV**

When Sam paused, I took over the story. "So we came back here. We hadn't found any EMF and the room 669 theory was a load of crap. That left us with nothing to go on. So we had to start over."

"Yeah, and I would have been able to start research right away, if my computer hadn't been frozen." Sam glared at me. "Frozen on bustyasianbeauties-dot-com."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

"So did you dig anything up on the building, or on the suicidal coed?" Bobby asked, getting back to business.

Sam shook his head. "No. History's clean."

Bobby nodded. "So it's not a haunting."

"Maybe not." I shrugged. "Tell you the truth, we're not really sure."

Bobby looked to me confused. "What do you mean you're not sure?"

"Well, it's weird." Sam told him.

"What's weird?"

"This next part, we didn't see it happen ourselves exactly, but it's pretty frigging weird, even for us." I explained.

"Stop dancing around the subject and just tell us." Liz groaned, lifting her legs on to the bed and folded them under herself as she rested her head on my shoulder.

I wrapped an arm around her for support, pulling her closer as my hand rubbed her side soothingly. Bobby and Sam watched, Sam not thinking much of it obviously, but Bobby was giving me a warning glare. I still had no idea how he and Liz met, but it was clear they were close. Bobby was protective of her, like they were family, like a father would be towards his daughter.

Getting back to the story, Sam gave them two words. "Alien abduction."

"Yeah." I nodded. "The guy Sam had been talking to at the bar, Curtis... apparently he'd been abducted by aliens."

Bobby shook his head, clearly not believing it. "Aliens?"

"Yeah." Sam shrugged.

"Aliens?" Bobby repeated.

I sighed. "Yeah."

"Look, even if they are real, they're sure as hell not coming to Earth and swiping people."

"Hey, believe me. We know." I assured him.

Bobby shook his head again. "My whole life, I've never found evidence of an honest-to-God abduction. It's all just cranks and pranks."

Sam agreed with him. "Yeah, that's what we thought. But, we figure we'd at least talk to the guy."

...

_Back at the bar, Sam and I sat across from Curtis as he looked down at the three shots in front of him._ _"Hey, you gotta give those purple nurples a shot." I suggested._

_Clearing his throat, Sam got to business. "So, what happened, Curtis?"_

_"You won't believe me. Nobody does."_

_"Give us a chance."_

_Curtis looked up at him. "I do not want this in the papers."_

_"Off the record then." I just wanted to know the story. To see if this was part of our case._

_It took a moment, but after downing one of the shots, Curtis started to tell us what happened. "I... I blacked out, and I lost time and when I woke up, I don't know where I was."_

_"Then what?" Sam pressed for more._

_"They did tests on me. And..." Curtis had another shot. "They... they probed me."_

_I shook my head, wondering if I heard right. "They probed you?"_

_"Yeah, they probed me." he nodded. "Again and again, and gain, and..." he took the last shot. "And again and again and again, and then one more time. And that's not even the worst of it."_

_"How could it get any worse? Some alien made you his bitch." I really did not know how it could get any worse._

_Curtis frowned at me, not finding what I said funny at all. But he still went on. "They... they made me slow dance."_

...

"Okay, come on." Liz pushed off me and shook her head. "You're kidding, right? You're exaggerating again, right?"

"No." Sam and I answered at the same time.

Bobby shrugged. "Then this frat boy is just nuts."

"We're not so sure." I told him before I went on with the story.

...

_Sam and I stood outside the Crawford hall, looking out at the grass where there was a clear, large, round, burnt patch missing in the middle of the open space._ _"I'm telling you, Dean, this was made by some kind of jet engine." Sam noted._

_"What, you mean some saucer-shaped jet engine?"_

_"What else could it be?"_

_Coming up with nothing, I sighed. "What the hell?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"No, seriously, dude. What the hell?"_

_"I don't know. I mean, first the haunting, now this? The timing alone, there's gotta be some kind of connection here."_

_"You mean, between the angry spirit and the sexed-up E.T.? What could the connection possibly be?"_

...

I shrugged, looking over at Bobby. "But what could we do? So we just kept on digging."

...

_"So, you and this guy Curtis, you're in the same house?" Sam asked the guy we'd found, hoping he could shed some light on what the hell was going on._

_"Yeah." the guy answered._

_I nodded. "You heard what happened to him, right?"_

_"Yeah, he says it was aliens, but, you know, whatever." the guy shrugged. Clearly, he didn't believe the story, though I didn't blame him._

_Sam shook his head, looking to the guy with pity. "Look man. I know this all has to be so hard."_

_"Not so much."_

_Sam just went on. "But I want you to know, I'm here for you. You brave little soldier. I acknowledge your pain. Come here." tears formed in his eyes as he stepped forward, pulling the guy into a hug. "You're too precious for this world."_

...

"You're so full of shit." Liz mumbled next to me, smiling for the first time since she'd arrived. I grinned at her.

Sam- having not heard Liz- turned to me, pissed. "I never said that!"

"You're always saying pansy stuff like that." I argued before getting back to the story.

...

_"Well... um... yeah, thanks." the guy gave Sam a pat on the back as he stood there, clearly feeling uncomfortable in the awkward moment. "Thanks for the hug."_

_"Yeah." Sam let him go, stepping back._

_"But I'm okay. Really." the guy insisted. "To tell you the truth, whatever happened to Curtis, he had it coming."_

_"Why's that?" I asked._

_"He's our pledge master. Put us through hell this semester. Man, he got off on it. So now he knows how we feel."_

**SPOV**

Shaking my head at Dean, I went on. "After that, we came back here."

...

_"It still doesn't make a lick of sense. But hey, at least there's one connection."_

_"Between what?" I asked, heading for my bed where I'd left my laptop bag- which had my laptop in it._

_"Victims." Dean answered, taking a seat on the couch. "The professor and the frat guy."_

...

"They're a bunch of assholes." Lizzie noted, cutting me off.

Dean looked at her happy that someone else had caught on to what he'd noticed. "Exactly! They were dicks."

"At that point, we'd didn't have anything else to go on so we went with that theory." I nodded. "I was going to do some research to find a different connection, but I couldn't..."

...

_My computer bag was empty. "Where's my laptop?"_

_"I don't know." Dean shrugged before he kept going on about the case- while I searched for my laptop. "I mean, think about it. Philandering professor gets a dead girl. A pledge master gets hazed."_

_"I left it in here." I gestured to my bag, ignoring him._

_"Well, you obviously didn't." he argued. "There punishments, they're almost poetic. Actually, it'd be more like a limerick, but still-"_

_Cutting him off, my annoyance taking over. "Okay, hilarious. Where'd you hide it?"_

_"What, your computer?"_

_"Yeah. Where'd you hide it?" I repeated._

_"Why would I take your computer?"_

_" Because no one else could've, Dean." I noted. "We keep the door locked. We never let any maids in."_

_"Looks like you lost it, Point Dexter." he grinned._

_I shook my head at him, getting mad. "Dude, you know something? I put up with a lot from you."_

_"What are you talking about? I'm a joy to be around."_

...

Lizzie laughed, causing Dean to glare at her as I continued.

...

_"Yeah? Your dirty socks in the sink. Your food in the fridge."_

_"What's wrong with my food?" he genuinely looked confused and offended at that one._

_"It's not food anymore, Dean! It's Darwinism."_

_"I like it." he shrugged._

_"And all I ask from you, the one thing, is that you don't mess with my stuff."_

_"You done?"_

_"You know, how'd you feel if I screwed with the Impala?" I warned, knowing that was the most precious thing he had, or ever will have. It was his baby._

_"It'd be the last thing you ever did."_

**DPOV**

"Did you take his computer?" Bobby asked me.

I shook my head. "Serves him right, but no."

Sam glared at me. "Well, I didn't lose it because I don't lose things."

"Oh, that's right, because he's Mr Perfect."

"Shut up with the arguing." Liz rubbed at her temples. "You guys are killing me."

"Okay, okay." Bobby sighed. "Why don't you just tell us what happened next?"

"There was one more victim." I told him.

Sam nodded. "Right. Now we didn't see this one ourselves either. We kinda put it together from the evidence, but this guy, he was, uh... he was a research scientist. Animal testing."

"Yeah, you know, a dick." I shrugged. "Which fits the pattern."

"This guy left his office at night, was heading to his car." Sam started. "Must have seen something in the sewer drain, because the next morning he was found by the drain... dead."

"The cops didn't release a cause of death, because they had no clue what the cause was." I noted.

"So, we checked it out ourselves." Sam finished.

...

_I held the window open as Sam climbed down into the morgue. Once he was on the ground, I handed him my flashlight before jumping down to join him. We moved to the body drawers and looked for the body. Opening the door, we found there wasn't much inside._

_"Well, this ought to be quick." I was not looking forward to what we had to do next._ _Pulling the draw out and lifting the sheet off, we looked down at the few pieces of the guy. It stunk like nothing I'd ever smelt before. It was awful._ _"Okay." I looked away, fighting to keep my food down. "That is just nasty."_

_Sam groaned. "Yeah. Mutilated. Looks to me like something was hungry."_

_"They identify him yet?"_

_"Yeah, a research scientist at the college. Guess where his office was, by the way?" he leaned closer to the parts to get a better look. "Crawford Hall, same as the professor."_

_"That's where the frat boy had his close encounter."_

_"Yeah." he gestured to a magnifying glass on a stand. "Hey, hand me that thing, would you?" I rolled it over to him. "Thanks." he nodded as he looked down at something on the parts that had caught his attention._

_"What is it?"_

_"Looks like a... a belly scale?"_

_Now that was more confusing than the aliens and dead girl story put together. "A belly scale? From what?"_

_"Uh... an alligator?"_

_"An alligator in the sewer? Come on." even I didn't believe that._

_"What? Well Dean, it's a classic urban legend." Sam shrugged, standing straight again. "Kid flushes a baby gator down the toilet and it grows huge in the tunnels."_

_"Yeah, but no one's really ever found one. They're not real."_

_"Neither is alien abduction, but something chomped on this guy."_

_"This couldn't get any weirder."_

_"Yeah, maybe we should get some help. I'll call Bobby. Maybe he's run into something like this."_

_"Oh, yeah I'm sure he has. Just your typical haunted-campus, alien-abduction, alligator-in-the-sewer gig. Yeah, it's simple." I joked. "You should ask Liz too. That girl's one surprise after another. Maybe she'll have an idea what we're dealing with."_

...

"We decided to search the sewer anyway." Sam shrugged. "So we split up, each taking one end of campus."

"Did you find anything?" Bobby asked expectantly.

"Yeah, I found something. Just not in the sewer." I turned to look at Sam. "I found my car, with flat tires because someone let the air out."

"How many times do I have to tell you? I didn't do it." Sam insisted.

"Oh, so your money clip just happened to be on the floor nearby." I shook my head, not believing him.

"You still haven't even given me my money back." he snapped.

"Payment. For the damage to my car and to teach you a lesson." I snapped back. "You know you can't let the air out of the tires or the rims will bend."

"God, you are so annoying."

"Me?" I scoffed. "You're the one that has to have everything under control and perfect. _You're_ annoying."

"Okay, I've had enough." Bobby sighed, standing up.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to him. "Anyway, you two showed up about an hour after that."

"I'm surprised at you two. I really am." Bobby looked at Sam and I, disappointed. "Sam, first off, Dean did not steal your computer." I couldn't help but grin as Sam went to argue.

"But I-"

Bobby shushed him, shutting him up. "And Dean, Sam did not touch your car."

Sam nodded. "Yeah."

"And if you two bothered to pull your head out of your asses, it all would have been pretty clear."

"What?"

He turned to me. "What you're dealing with."

The room fell silent as Sam and I tried to think about what it might be. But honestly, I couldn't figure it out. The three cases were just so different they couldn't possibly all come from the same thing.

"I got nothing." I admitted.

"Me neither." Sam added.

"It's a trickster." Liz told us.

Bobby nodded. "Thank you."

"How the hell do you know that?" I asked. That girl never seized to surprise me.

"You guys were the biggest clue." Bobby answered for her.

Sam looked as confused as I felt. "What do you mean?"

Sighing, Liz explained. "Tricksters create chaos and mischief. It's what they live for. The thing has been messing with you two so hard, you can't even think straight."

"The laptop." Sam nodded, understanding now.

I shook my head, feeling so stupid. "The tires."

"It knows you're onto him." Bobby noted. "And it's been playing you like fiddles."

"So, what is it? Spirit, demon? What?" I just wanted to know how you kill the thing.

"More like a demigod, really." I didn't really like Bobby's answer. Dealing with a God did not sound easy. "There's Loki in Scandinavia. There's Anansi in West Africa. Dozens of them. They're immortal. They can create things out of thin air. Things as real as you and me. Make them vanish just as quick."

"You mean like an angry spirit or an alien or an alligator." it all made sense now.

Liz nodded. "Yeah. And tricksters happen to go after assholes."

Bobby elaborated. "They target the high and the mighty. Knock them down a peg, usually with a sense of humour. Deadly pranks. Things like that."

"So what do these things look like?" I asked, looking from Liz to Bobby, not caring who gave the answer just as long as I got one. You know what they look like you can find them and kill them.

Bobby shrugged. "Lots of things, but human mostly."

One particular person came to mind then. I turned to Sam to see if he was on the same track. "What human do we know who's been at ground zero this whole time?"

It took a moment, but it clicked. "The janitor."

**SPOV**

The janitor locked the door the lead to the stuff lockers before turning to Dean and myself. "Sorry I'm dragging a little ass today, boy. I had quite the night last night." he told us as he led us to the stairs. "Lots of sex, if you catch my drift."

"Yeah, hard not to. Listen, we won't be long. We just wee to check a couple of offices up on three." Dean told him as he nudged me, signalling back to the staff door.

"No problem." the janitor nodded.

I stopped as I gave my pockets a pat down. "Oh, damn. I forgot something in the truck." they stopped and turned to me. "You know what? I'll catch up with you guys."

"Okay." Dean shrugged before he and the janitor continued up the stairs.

I walked over to the exit and opened the door, holding it open as I watched them walk up and away. Once they were gone, I closed the door and headed back down stairs. After picking the lock to the staff locker room, I crept inside and started searching the place for any signs that the janitor might be the trickster. But all I could find was a _Weekly World News_ magazine with an alien abduction picture on the front.

...

"Just because he reads _Weekly World News_ doesn't mean he's our guy." I noted as Dean and I walked out of Crawford Hall. "I mean, you read it too."

"I'm telling you, it's him." Dean was insistent.

"Look, I just think we need some hard proof, that's all."

Stopping, he turned to me. "Okay, another thing Bobby and Liz mentioned was that these suckers have a metabolism like an insect. All right, a real sweet tooth."

"Well, I didn't find any candy bars or sugar. Not even Equal."

"It's probably something you missed."

"I don't miss things."

"Oh, right, because you're Mr Perfect."

"What? Are you still pissed at me because of what the trickster did?"

"Oh, come on, man, you been a tight ass long before that trickster showed up."

"Look, just stay here. Keep an eye on the janitor. I'll go to his place, see if I can find any actual evidence before you go barging in and staking the man. Just wait till I get back, okay?" when he didn't answer, I repeated myself. "Okay?"

"Okay."

With an answer, I stormed off, heading for the hotel.

**DPOV**

It was dark. I'd been waiting out the front of Crawford Hall for hours and my patience was all dried up. "Screw this." turning, I headed for the door, entering the building.

First, I checked the staff locker room, but it was empty. So I continued up the stairs to find the trickster. Being as quiet as possible, and keeping my torch in my pocket, I tried to not to get caught as I went to climb up to the second story.

As my foot landed on the first step a song began to play. _Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe_ by Barry White, to be exact.

Following the music, I walked into a lecture room where there was a large, round bed on the stage with two women sat looking up at me invitingly. They were dressed in lingerie and looked drop dead gorgeous. The lights were dim, setting the mood. Descending the stairs, I headed toward them, unable to resist getting a closer look.

As I came to the bottom of the steps, they crawled on the bed, moving closer. "We've been waiting for you, Dean." the brunette bit her lip.

I shook my head. "You guys aren't real."

The brunette grinned. "Trust me, sugar, it's gonna feel real."

"Come on. Let us give you a massage." the blonde offered.

I'd be lying if I wasn't tempted, but now was not the time. "You know, I'm a sucker for a happy ending. Really, I am, but I'm gonna have to pass."

"They're a peace offering." a familiar voice spoke. I turned to see the trickster sitting up in the rows of chairs. "I know what you and your brother do. I've been around a while, run into your kind before."

"Well, then you know that I can't let you just keep hurting people." I noted.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on. Those people got what was coming to them. Hoisted on their own petards. But you and Sam, I like you. I do. So treat yourself as long as you want. Just long enough for me to move on to the next town.

"Yeah, I don't think I can let you do that."

Pulling out a candy bar from his pocket, he sighed. "I don't want to hurt you." unwrapping the candy, he shrugged. "And you know that I can."

"Look, man, I gotta tell you, I dig your style. All right? I mean..." I looked over to the girls for a moment before turning back to him. "I do. And the slow-dancing alien?"

Throwing his head back, he laughed. "One of my personal favourites."

"Yeah." I nodded. "But, uh, I can't let you go."

"Too bad." his smile fell. "Like I said, I like you. But Sam was right. You shouldn't have come alone."

"Well, I'll agree with you there."

At that moment the two doors to enter the room opened as Sam and Bobby entered carrying the large stakes with blood covered tips which we needed in order to kill the trickster.

Looking from them to me, the trickster looked impressed. "That fight you guys had outside, that was a trick?" when I shrugged, he nodded. "Not bad." when I pulled out my own stake he grinned. "But you wanna see a real trick?"

He didn't even move, but suddenly a masked man carrying a chainsaw appeared by Sam, moving to attack him.

I knew the only way to get rid of the chainsaw guy was to get rid of the trickster. I also knew Bobby would help Sam. So, getting a better grip on my stake, I lunged for the trickster.

A hand grabbed on to my wrist, its grip strong and tight, pulling me away from the chairs. I turned to see the brunette reaching for me again.

Stepping back quickly, I dodged her, but was too slow as she tried again, grabbing my jacket. She tossed me on to the stage where the blonde pulled me to my feet and punched me in the face. I stumbled back, into the brunette. She grabbed me, kicking me in the gut.

Once I had an opening I punched her, twice, but it did nothing. She just threw me at the blonde again. The blonde pulled me up once me, punching me so hard I flew through the air and crashed into the seats.

The trickster laughed. "Nice toss, ladies." he clapped. "Nice show."

Trying to get back to my feet, I spotted my stake lying over by Sam who'd spotted it at the same time. We shared a look, understanding each other without speaking a word.

"Dean." the trickster stood. "Dean, Dean, Dean. I did not wanna have to do this. But-"

While he'd been talking and distracted, Sam threw the stake at me. I caught it and in one swift movement, shoved it through the trickster's chest, right to his heart. "Me neither." As he died, the women and chainsaw man disappeared. Once the light left his eyes, I pulled the stake out of his chest. Sam and Bobby hurried over. "You guys okay?" I asked them, not feeling too good myself.

"Yeah." Sam nodded. "I guess."

"Where's Liz?"

"I didn't think it would be a good idea to bring her along to a fight with a demigod." Bobby noted. "She's waiting outside in the car."

"Good call." I gave his shoulder a pat. "Now let's get the hell out of here."

...

We hurried out of the building, heading to the car which Sam had parked right by the front steps.

"Bobby, thanks a lot. We couldn't-"

Bobby cut Sam off. "Hey, save it. Let's just get the hell out of dodge before somebody finds that body."

As Bobby and I moved to the other side of the car, Sam stepped up to the back seat and turned to me. "Look, Dean, I just wanted to say, that I'm, uh... um..."

"Hey. Me too." I nodded, knowing what he was trying to say.

Bobby shook his head at us. "You guys are breaking my heart. Could we please just leave?" he asked before getting in the car.

Sam and I grinned at each other before we climbed in as well. I turned on the ignition before looking over at Liz as she sat next to me. She didn't look too good.

I wasn't too sure what she wanted to do now, but I didn't think I could let her go back to Bobby's without Sam and me when she looked this bad. She was family, and if there was something wrong then we were going to fix it together.

"You wanna get out of here?" I asked her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close so she could lean on my shoulder for support.

Nodding, she rested her head against me. "Yes please."

With that I drove off, leaving dust behind us.

**Bamby**


	20. Eight

**EPOV**

In the backseat of the Impala, I watched as Sam and Dean talked amongst themselves. It had been a couple of weeks since they'd dealt with the trickster. A couple of weeks since I'd managed to convince both of them and Bobby that me being on the road would do me some good. Turns out I was kind of right.

No, my headaches were not gone. I was still feeling pretty crappy. But the guys served as a distraction. They made me feel better.

Then there was Sam. We hadn't spoken about it yet, but I knew we both wanted to talk about what the demon had told me. There were a million questions both of us wanted to ask the other. But what I really wanted to know was, what ability did I have?

Could I hurt anyone with it? Could I _kill_ anyone with it? I didn't want to become a monster, and the idea of me being able to harm some innocent person scared the hell out of me.

"All right, tell me about Highway 41."

Sam looked down at the file in his hands, flashlight shining on the words so he could tell Dean about the case we were headed for. "Twelve accident over fifteen years. Five of them fatal. All of them happening on the same night."

"So what are we looking at? Interstate dead zone? Phantom hitchhiker?" Dean asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Not quite." Sam answered. "I mean, year after year, witnesses said the same thing made them crash. A woman appearing in the middle of the road being chased by a man covered in blood."

"Two spooks?"

"Not unheard of." I noted.

"Thought you were asleep." Dean adjusted the rear-view mirror so he could look back at me. "How you feeling?"

"Fine." I lied. "We nearly at the hotel?"

As if right on cue, he turned into the parking lot of the hotel and found a spot to park the car. "Stay here. I'll get us a room." Dean offered as he got out of the car, leaving Sam and I alone.

Sam turned around to look at me. "You wanna tell me the truth? How are you really feeling?"

I shrugged, leaning my head back and closing my eyes. "The headaches aren't as bad. I'm better at keeping my food down."

"What about..." it was clear he was a little unsure how to word his next question. "Have you noticed anything else? Anything different?"

Opening my eyes again, I looked over at him. "You mean, am I seeing the future or electrocuting things I touch? No, Sam. I'm not one of the psychics. Not yet at least."

A bang on the roof of the car had me jump as Dean poked his head through his window. "I got us a room. Let's go."

**DPOV**

Liz dumped her bag on the floor before she dropped onto the couch. She looked exhausted and nowhere near healthy enough to be on a case. It had me really concerned.

Shaking my head, I grabbed her things, moving them to one of the beds. "You're not sleeping on some lumpy, uncomfortable, crappy couch. Take one of the beds."

"But-"

"Dean's right." Sam cut her off. "You need it more than we do."

Sighing, she pulled herself up and moved to the bed where I'd put her things. Crawling on to the mattress, she rested against the headboard, watching as Sam and I grabbed our things to head out again.

"We're gonna go see if we can find anything that might help us with the case." I explained. "You stay here, get some rest. We'll bring back food." I assured her as Sam and I headed for the door. "Don't go anywhere."

"I won't." she nodded, sliding down the bed to lay down.

As I closed the door I kept my eyes on her until I no longer could. I didn't like leaving her alone, but I knew she needed the rest, and we couldn't put the case on hold.

**SPOV**

I sat in front of the computer in the library as Dean stood behind me, looking over my shoulder to the screen. We'd found some old news articles on the Highway that dated back to the beginning of all the accident.

"'February 22, 1992. Jonah Greely and Molly McNamara both died tragically in a highway accident on Highway 41'." I read. "It says Molly spun off the road after she lost control of the car and hit Jonah. Her husband David was the only survivor."

"What about Greely? He have any relatives?"

"Ah, yeah. A wife. Marion. But after she collected her husband body she disappeared."

"Well that's great." he sighed, shaking his head as he walked away from the computer. "She'll be the only one who knows where he's buried. Can't burn the bones if we don't know where they're buried."

"Look, we'll just go out there tomorrow night and look for them."

He didn't look too sure. "Tomorrow? As in the anniversary of their death?"

"It's the only night they appear." I noted. "What, are you scared?"

"No, I'm worried about Liz. She'll stay at the hotel while we're researching, but the moment she thinks we're heading out on the Highway, she'll be right there. No way she'll let us go off without her."

He was right. Lizzie cared about our health and safety just like we cared about hers. If she thought there was any way we might end up in danger, she'd want to be there to help even though she could hardly help herself at the moment.

I was worried about her. I'd had some headaches and migraines, but none of it had been as bad as what she was going through. It was as if the blood from Meg had accelerated everything, catching Lizzie up to where the rest of us were.

The whole thing made me feel guilty. I knew it was the demon using my body that turned her life upside down, but that didn't ease my mind. I'd been right there. Screaming inside. Trying to tell Meg to stop. I'd seen the fear and confusion in Lizzie's eyes. I'd felt the blood pool into my hand and then into her mouth. It wasn't me, but I was there.

I shrugged. "Look, we'll go talk to Molly's husband tomorrow, Lizzie can come. If she does okay, then we'll take her to the Highway."

"And if she doesn't?"

"We'll deal with that when the time comes."

**EPOV**

I hugged my coat to me as I walked between the brothers. We were walking up to the front door of David McNamara. He was the widows husband of Molly who died on Highway 41 fifteen years ago. She- along with a man- were the first to die on the highway since all the incidents started. So naturally, Sam and Dean guessed she was one of the spirits.

We were at her husband's house in the hopes that he could tell us where her bones were buried. Posing as FBI investigating the many deaths, we hoped David wouldn't be too suspicious seeing as it had been fifteen years.

"You okay?" Dean asked, looking down at me.

I nodded. "I'm fine."

I wasn't too bad, really. My head throbbed a little, but the cool fresh air was helping me. My stomach wasn't twisted in knots, so that was a bonus.

"If you need to leave, just let us know. We'll understand." Sam told me, not for the first time.

"I know."

Raising his hand, Sam knocked on the front door before taking a step back. We waited in silence.

The door opened, revealing a middle-aged man. "Hi, can I help you?"

Pulling out my fake badge, I smiled at him. "I'm Agent Ramis, this is Agents Murray and Aykroyd." I gestured to Dean and Sam. "We were wondering if we could ask you a few questions?"

...

Walking back on to the path, Dean shook his head, clearly agitated. "So much for burning her bones."

Turns out there was a problem in our master plan. After talking with David, we found out Molly was cremated. That meant there had to be something holding her back from moving on. Some kind of unfinished business.

Sam sighed. "Yeah, but then what's keeping her here?"

"Whatever it is, we have no choice now." I shrugged, walking to the car. "We all know the only way to finish this job is to go to the Highway. We need to find where Greely was buried, and we needed to find Molly's spirit. So, did I pass the test? Are you gonna let me come?"

Dean opened the back door for me once he reached the Impala. "Could we stop you?"

"Nope." I answered, popping the 'p'.

He chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Thought not."

"Looks like we're going for a late-night drive, boys." I nodded, stepping into the car.

**DPOV**

Driving along the road, we hit Highway 41 at around ten o'clock. The three of us were keeping an eye out for any signs of life. Or well... you know what I mean. It hadn't taken long before a woman suddenly ran out on to the road.

"Stop! Stop!" she screamed.

I slammed my foot on the brakes. "Holy-" as the car came to a stop, we only just missed her.

Once she'd recovered from the shock of almost being hit, she looked up at us. "You've gotta help me."

I recognised her from the newspaper article, and a picture David had shown us. It was Molly McNamara.

"Guys..." Sam looked confused and surprised as we watched molly hurry over to his window. "I don't think she knows she's dead."

"Please, please." Molly frantically knocked on Sam's window, her voice desperate and scared.

"All right, all right, calm down." Sam told her as he wound the window down. "Calm down. Tell us what happened."

"My husband and me. We were in a car accident." she started, getting more and more worked up.

"Hold on." Liz slid across her seat, over to Sam's side, before she opened the door and stepped out to join Molly on the road. Grabbing the woman's arm, she tried to calm her. "Start from the beginning, and just try to keep calm."

As Molly nodded and took a breath, Sam and I got out of the car as well, listening to her story. "We were driving when a man stepped on to the road. I swerved and we crashed. And when I came to... The car was wrecked. My husband was missing. I went looking for him, that's when the man from the road started chasing me."

"Did he look like he lost a fight with a lawnmower?" I asked earning disapproving looks from Liz and Sam.

Molly frowned, confused. "How did you know that?"

"Lucky guess." I shrugged.

Before Molly could ask any questions, Sam spoke. "Ma`am, what's your name?" he knew who she was, but we weren't too sure if she did. I mean, she clearly didn't realise she was dead.

"Molly." she answered. "Molly McNamara."

"Molly, look, I think maybe you should come with us. We'll take you back into town-"

She cut Sam off, shaking her head. "I can't. I have to find David. He might've gone back to the car."

"We should get you somewhere safe first. Dean, Lizzie and I will come back." Sam offered, trying to convince her to leave with us. "We'll look for your husband."

But she wasn't having any of it. "No. I'm not leaving here without him." she sighed. "Would you just take me back to my car, please?"

Sam and I shared a look, both of us knowing we had to get her off the highway. It would make the case a lot easier. But we also knew she wasn't going to leave. Not when she thought David was out here.

"Of course." Sam nodded.

Liz gestured to the car. "Come on."

**SPOV**

Dean stopped the car where Molly told him to, parking it on the side of the road before the four of us all climbed out.

"It's right over here." Molly gestured to where the ground slopped down.

Heading over there, we looked down at found no car- unsurprisingly to Dean, Lizzie and myself. It had been fifteen years. The car was long gone.

But Molly just looked confused. "I don't understand. I'm sure this is where it was. We hut that tree right there." she gestured to a tree at the bottom of the slope. "This doesn't make any sense." shaking her head, she started down the hill.

"Guys, we gotta get out of here." I noted, keeping my voice low so only Lizzie and Dean heard me. "Greely could show up at any second."

"What are you gonna tell her?" Dean asked.

"The truth." I didn't see any other way.

"She's gonna take off running in the other direction."

"Dean's right." Lizzie nodded. "We can't tell her anything."

"I know it sounds crazy, but I crashed into that tree." Molly called to us, pointing to the same tree. "I don't know who could've taken it. It was totalled." she looked so desperate. "Please, you have to believe me."

"Molly, listen, we do believe you, all right?" I assured her. "But that's why we wanna get you out of here."

She shook her head. "What about David? Something must have happened. I have to get to the cops."

Dean gave a sharp nod. "Cops. You know, that's a great idea. In fact, we'll take you down to the station ourselves. Okay? So just come with us. It's the best way we can help you and your husband."

She still looked unsure, but eventually Molly nodded. "Okay." she agreed, heading back up the hill and heading for the car.

**EPOV**

I sat next to Molly, watching her as she looked ahead but not at anything. She looked so down. So lost. Her unfinished business was clearly her husband. She missed him. She was worried about him. Her confusion about the situation meant she had no idea he was alive, and actually remarried.

"We're supposed to be in Lake Tahoe." she told us.

Sam looked over his shoulder to her. "You and David?"

"It's our five-year anniversary."

"A hell of an anniversary." Dean mumbled.

Ignoring him, I rested a comforting hand on Molly's shoulder. When she'd showed up on the road, I'd taken my iron ring off and slipped it in my pocket, not wanting to hurt or scare her even though it could help if Greely ever showed up.

Out of the two, I was more concerned about crossing her over. She was confused, he was violent. Violent was fine, I could deal with that. but seeing someone hurting like Molly was, it was almost too much to bare.

"Right before, we were having the dumbest fight. It's the only time we ever really argue, when we're stuck in the car."

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, I know how that goes."

The confused and offended look Dean gave him didn't go unnoticed by me. In fact it put a little smile on my face.

"You know the last thing I said to him? I called him a jerk. Oh, God." Molly looked so guilty and ashamed, wiping the smile off my face. "What if that's the last thing I said to him?"

"Hey." I shook my head, feeling so bad that I couldn't tell her the truth. "We'll find him. I promise. We'll figure out what happened."

It was at that moment the radio turned on and began to play _House of the Rising Sun_ by The Animals.

Dean looked to Sam. "Did you...?"

Sam shook his head. "No."

"Great." Dean sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."

"This song..." Molly leaned forward, listening to the music. "It was playing when we crashed."

The station on the radio started to change again as a voice spoke. " _She's mine._ "

"Dean..." I did not feel good about this.

" _She's mine._ " it repeated. " _She's mine_."

"What is that?" Molly asked, completely clueless.

I looked up from the radio, looking to the road when suddenly Greely appeared. "Dean!"

"Hold on." he warned, pushing his foot onto the accelerator.

Molly grabbed his shoulder, watching the man on the road as Dean neared him. "What are you doing?!" But Dean just kept driving until he drove into Greely, breaking the spirit apart for the moment. Turning around, Molly looked out the back window to see where he'd gone. "What the...? What the hell just happened?"

"Don't worry, Molly. Everything's all right." Sam assured her.

But the car started to make a noise as the engine shut off.

"I think you spoke a little too soon, Sammy." Dean noted as we rolled to a stop. he tried to start the car again, but it just wasn't happening. Giving up, he spoke the words I'd been thinking. "I don't think he's gonna let her leave."

**DPOV**

"This can't be happening." Molly shook her head, climbing out of the car.

Liz, Sam and I headed for the trunk as Molly stood off to the side. If we had to deal with an angry spirit like Greely, then we were going to need weapons. We need to be ready for anything.

"Well, trust me, it's happening." I told her, unlocking and opening the trunk and pulling out a gun.

"Well, okay, thanks for helping, but I think I got it covered from here." turning around, we saw Molly backing up, her fear now directed towards us.

Liz sighed. "She saw the guns and she's freaking out." she mumbled so only Sam and I heard.

Unable to let her go, Sam stepped forward to try and get her to stay. "Wait, Molly, wait a minute."

"Just leave me alone."

"No. You have to listen to me."

"Just stay away." she warned, turning around to walk off.

Having no other choice, Sam decided to tell her the truth. Or at least part of it. "It wasn't a coincidence that we found you, all right?"

She stopped. "What are you talking about?"

I shrugged, standing next to Sam now. "We weren't just cruising for chicks when we ran into you, sister. We were out here. Hunting."

"Hunting for what?"

When Sam couldn't come up with a lie, I told her the truth. "Ghosts."

Sam turned to me, shaking his head. "Don't sugar coat it for her."

"You're nuts."

"Really? About as nuts as a vanishing guy with his guts spilling out." I may have been a little harsh, but we had a job to do and we didn't have much time. "You know what you saw."

Leaving Sam with Molly, I headed back to the trunk where Liz was leaning against the car, looking both unimpressed and amused. As Sam kept on trying to convince Molly to stay, I stepped up to Liz, the two of us talking amongst ourselves.

"Somethings going to go wrong here. It always does."

"Probably." she nodded. "It's not like we've ever had an open and shut case before."

"Yeah, but this time you're not a hundred percent. You gonna be okay out there?" I asked, nodding to the tree line.

"Well I'm not staying by the car, if that's what you think." she told me matter-of-factly, leaving no room for argument.

"You feel like you need to stop, you tell me. Sam can go on ahead."

She cracked a smile. "What? You gonna babysit me, Winchester?" biting her lip, she looked me up and down.

My thoughts instantly turned bad. Actually, they were nice thoughts, but I shouldn't have been thinking about them at that moment. Yet here I was, picturing us in between sheets and alone, instead of out here in the cold.

It had been awhile since we'd slept together. The last time was during the week Sam had disappeared on us. We'd both been worried and needed a distraction. But despite how long it had been, I still remembered every detail of it. It was engraved in my mind.

She groaned, pulling me from my thoughts as her hand came up to rub at her forehead.

Moving closer to her, I rested a hand on her back for comfort and support as I watched her with worried eyes, all other thoughts gone as I concentrated on her here and now. "On a scale of one to ten?"

"Eight. So, it's not too bad."

"Eight is bad." I argued.

"Not when I've been dealing with tens for days at a time."

"Everything okay?" Sam asked as he and Molly moved back to the car.

Liz nodded, lowering her hand as she looked up at him, a small and forced smile on her lips. "Yeah. So, we doing this thing, or what?"

**Bamby**

 


	21. Release

**DPOV**

Liz and I followed Molly as she stepped into an old shack. "This is it. This is where I saw him."

Moving around Molly, I took lead as I started to look around the one room. "Must've been his hunting cabin." there were knives on the walls, and a bench where he would have skinned and gutted the animals he killed. "Seemed like a real sweet guy." I noted sarcastically.

Sam walked in then. "No markers and headstones outside."

"You're looking for Greely's grave?" Molly asked.

"Yeah." Sam answered as he started searching the room for anything that could help us.

"Why?"

Liz turned to Molly. "We need to dig up his corpse, salt it, and then burn it. It's a way to get rid of a spirit."

"And that'll save David?"

Sam shrugged. "Well, this is what'll help both of you. Provided there's a corpse to be found."

"So how do we find it?"

"I'm not sure. After Greely died, his wife claimed the body. That's the last anyone saw of her. Good guess she brought him back here, but they had a thousand acres. He could be buried anywhere on them." Sam explained.

"So this is really what you guys do." Molly looked to the three of us. "You're like Ghostbusters."

"Yeah, minus the jumpsuits. Look lady, this is a fascinating conversation and all. But this highway's only haunted once a year. And we got till sunup to wrap this thing up. So what do you say we move it along, okay?" I gave her a quick smile. "Great." nodding, I walked out the door, Liz right behind me.

"You don't have to be an ass." she muttered so only I could hear her.

"The last thing I want is to be stuck with a ghost that doesn't know it's a ghost." I told her, keeping my voice just as low.

"She's confused and scared, Dean."

"Doesn't mean I like her any less than the rest of them."

We fell silent as Sam and Molly stepped out of the cabin and started to follow us. We were looking for a path or something that could lead us to Greely's house. If there was nothing here that would tell us where he was buried, then there had to be something at the house.

I turned to look at Sam. "You take Molly that way. Liz and I will go this way." I gestured behind my shoulder. He gave me a simple nod and with that I turned back around and walked off with Liz right behind me still.

**EPOV**

Dean and I had been walking for a little bit when we heard a scream.

I spun around in the direction it came from, knowing who it was. "Molly." not waiting for Dean, I broke out into a run, needing to get to her as quickly as possible.

When we found Molly she was struggling against Greely as he held her to him, in a choke hold. She was screaming, scared out of her wits and nowhere near strong enough to fight him off. He was angry, wanting to get revenge like he always did on this night every year since he died.

Noticing that they were no longer alone, Greely dropped Molly and went to turn to us.

Before the spirit could do anything, Dean stepped up to Greely and aimed his gun at the old man's face. "Whoops." with that, he pulled the trigger, sending rock salt into the ghost, causing it to vanish.

I got to the ground where Molly was looking up at where Greely he been standing. "You okay?" I asked her.

She grabbed my hand, letting me pull her up. "What the hell just happened?"

"We just saved you. Again." Dean told her. "You're welcome."

Sam came running towards us. "Hey, you all right?"

"What has that son of a bitch done with my husband?" Molly was pissed now.

"Take it easy, all right?" Sam old her. "You're gonna see David again. You will."

"Hey." Dean called to us, shining his light in the direction of what looked like a path. "Follow the creepy brick road."

...

I walked in the middle, with Dean in the lead while Sam and Molly took the back.

"That thing shoots rock salt?" Molly asked, obviously talking about Dean's gun.

"Yep." Sam answered.

"And plain salt keeps away spirits?"

"Simple remedies are always the best. Most cultures, salt's a symbol of purity so it repels impure and unnatural things. Same reason you throw it over your shoulder." as Sam finished explaining, we came to a clearing by a house.

"You know, just once, I'd like to round the corner and see a nice house." Dean joked as he gestured to the front door. "You three head in. I'm gonna look around."

Nodding, we left him to do his things while we started for the front door. As we stepped in we found it a mess, abandoned. It smelt of dust and stale furniture. It was clear no one had lived here for years.

As the door opened again, Sam turned to Dean. "Any headstones outside?"

"Yeah, right." Dean shook his head, dumping his bag on the old couched. "Is it ever that easy?"

"I guess not."

Starting for the next room- the kitchen- Dean gestured to Molly and Sam. "You two check upstairs. See if you can find notes or records where he's buried. Liz and I'll check down here."

"All right." Sam nodded as he started up the stairs with Molly right behind him.

Once they were gone, I turned to Dean accusingly. "You don't think I can handle being on my own with Molly."

"She's a ghost, I don't trust her." he shrugged. "You're not well."

"I'm perfectly fine, Dean." I wasn't, and we both knew it. But I wasn't as bad as he thought I was.

Ignoring me, he moved to some drawers. "Just start looking, Liz. Faster we find what we need, the faster we can get rid of both of them."

**SPOV**

We walked into what appeared to be the master bedroom. The place was just as trashed as the rest of the house, only in here, there were papers and documents strewn across the floor. If there was going to be anything that would tell us where Greely's buried, then it would be on one of these pieces of paper. Which meant I had to started reading.

I sighed. "Great." crouching down, I grabbed a piece of paper and began to read.

Molly had walked over to a chest of drawers and picked something up. "Look at this." I got up and moved to the bed where we both sat down to look at the scrapbook she'd found. "It's Greely and his wife."

Looking at the pictures, that looked so happy.

As I turned the page, Molly gestured to a letter. "It's a love letter he wrote her. My God, it's beautiful." looking away from the book, she turned to me. "I don't understand how a guy like this can turn into that monster."

"Uh... spirits like Greely are, uh, like wounded animals. Lost. In so much pain that they lash out." I explained.

"Why? Why are they here?"

"Well, there's some part of them that's keeping them here. Like their remains or, um, unfinished business."

"'Unfinished business'?"

"Yeah. Uh, it could be revenge. It could be love or hate. Whatever it is, they just hold on too tight. Can't let go. So they're trapped. Caught in the same loops. Replaying the same tragedies over and over."

"You sound almost sorry for them."

I was. I felt sorry for her. She was stuck here, forced to repeat the same night every year. She didn't even know she was dead.

We were going to have to tell her the truth, eventually. When we did, it was going to crush her. To find out you've been dead for fifteen years. That you accidentally killed a man, and he's been torturing you since then. To hear your husband has remarried and is happy. I couldn't imagine the pain she would feel once she knew the truth.

"Well, they we're evil people. You know. A lot of them were good. Just... Something happened to them. Something they couldn't control."

"Sammy's always getting a little J. Love Hewitt when it comes to things like this." Dean said as he and Lizzie walked into the room. "Me, I don't like them and I sure as hell ain't making apologies for them."

Shaking her head at him, Lizzie looked to me. "We found nothing downstairs. What about you guys?"

"Just about every piece of mail or receipt they ever had." I shrugged. "Looked through a couple, but nothing about a grave so far." as Dean stepped up to a set of drawers, I turned to him, watching as he placed his torch down. "What?"

"There's something behind here." he told me before grabbing the edge of the drawers and dragging them along the floor to move them away from the wall.

Standing up, I looked over to see a small door that had been hidden.

Dean crouched and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. "It's locked from the inside." standing again, he turned and kicked back at it. On the second kick he managed to break it down.

"I'm going first." Lizzie volunteered, stepping up to Dean and crouching down as she began to crawl through the small door.

**DPOV**

I was right behind Liz as we entered the secret room. Standing again, I offered her my hand and pulled her up to her feet before she dusted herself off.

"It smells like old lady in here." I noted.

Liz nodded, her face turned up in disgust. "It's gross."

"Come on." I gestured for us to move further inside as Sam and Molly crawled in. Rounding the corner, we found what was causing the smell. "And that would explain why."

Mrs Greely was hanging from the roof, her corpse practically mummified from being locked in here of fifteen years, stewing in the stale air.

I shrugged. "Well now we know why nobody ever saw her again."

"She didn't wanna live without him." Molly looked to the body with sad eyes.

Sam stepped up to Mrs Greely, turning to me. "Dean, give me a hand."

"Really?" I did not wanna touch that thing.

Molly seemed to be on my side. "What are you gonna do?"

"We can't leave her like this." Sam told us as if it were obvious.

"Why not?" it wasn't like anyone was missing her.

Rolling her eyes, Liz stepped up to Sam. "I'll help."

There was no way I could let her hold up the body when there were times she could hardly hold herself up. "Fine." I sighed, moving to grab the body as Sam climbed onto a chair and pulled out his knife so he could cut her down. "Son of a-" before I could finish, the body fell onto my shoulder.

**SPOV**

Dean climbed out the hole in the ground where he'd laid Mrs Greely down so we could bury her.

"Here." Lizzie offered him the shovel she'd been holding for him.

"Thanks." he mumbled as we started to pile that dirt back into the hole, covering the body.

Molly stepped up to us, watching. "So if you manage to put Greely to rest too, what happens to him?"

Dean chuckled a little. "Lady, that answer is way beyond our pay grade."

"You hunt these things, but you don't know what happens to them?"

"Well, they never come back. That's all that matters." Dean shrugged.

Lizzie nodded. "Our job is to protect the living. Everything else... it's kinda complicated. We're not exactly privy to what happens beyond the grave. We just know how to get the spirits there."

"After they let go of whatever is keeping them here, they just go." I added. "I hope someplace better, but we don't know. No one does."

"What happens when you burn their bones?"

"Um... well, my dad used to say that it was like death for ghosts, you know? But the truth is, we still don't know, not for sure." I answered. "I guess that's why we all hold onto life so hard, even the dead. We're all just scared of the unknown."

"The only thing I'm scared of is losing David. I have to see him again." Molly crouched down by the grave, looking at the bones as we buried them. "I have to."

**DPOV**

Liz and I sat by the window. She wasn't feeling too good, her head a little dizzy. I'd told Sam and Molly to keep trying to find something that would tell us where Greely was buried, while I'd watch out for Greely and make sure Liz was okay.

Sam stepped up to us while Molly was in the kitchen. "I think we should tell her about her husband." he told us, voice low.

"We can't." it was that simple.

But Sam didn't agree. "Dean, it's cruel, letting her pine for him like this. I don't like keeping her in the dark."

"It's for her own good."

Liz nodded. "I get where you're coming from Sam, but she wouldn't even believe us."

When Sam didn't say anything, I sighed and stood from my chair. "Look man, I know you feel guilty, but let's just stick to the plan. Let's get her out of here and then we'll tell her?"

"Tell me what?" we turned to see Molly standing in the doorway, watching us. "What aren't you telling me?" none of us responded, which had her curiosity turn to fear. "It's about David. You know what happened to him."

"Molly-"

"Sam, don't." I warned.

"Don't what?" Molly stepped into the room, moving towards us. "Don't tell me because I'll mess up your hunt?" she snapped. "You don't care about me or my husband." she glared at me.

Liz stood and put herself between me a Molly. "Back off."

"You're keeping something from me, and I wanna know what."

Shaking her head, Liz refused to give in. "Look, lady. Despite what you think, we're out here for you and your husband. This isn't a hobby. It's a job. So yeah, telling you will ruin the hunt. And if the hunt is ruined then more lives will be at stake. So..." she took another step closer to Molly. "Back. Off."

She stood strong and tall, despite the fact she wasn't feeling well. Standing up for Sam and me, knowing that if it came to a fight she'd probably lose. I had mixed feelings about it all. On one hand, I wanted her to sit back down and worry about herself for a change. But on the other hand, I felt pretty good, knowing she cared about us like that.

Molly opened her mouth to speak, but at the same time a radio somewhere in the house turned on as _House of the Rising Sun_ began to play again.

"He's coming." Molly stepped closer to Liz, no longer angry, now just scared.

"Stay with them." I told Sam as I followed the music into the kitchen.

A light was on, under a thin cloth. Stepping up to it, I pulled the sheet away to see the radio lights glowing. But lying next to the machine was the cord, which had been cut long ago.

The wind picked up, whirling and whistling through the room. The sound of creaking had me turn to see the glass on the back door frosting over, the words _'She's mine_ ' appearing right before my eyes.

As if on cue, Greely's voice whispered along with the wind. "She's mine."

I turned to Sam, seeing him slowly walking into the kitchen, leaving Liz and Molly in the living room as he looked around for any signs of Greely. Getting a better grip on my gun, I focused on the back door once more, waiting for the ghost to come.

The window in the living room smashed as Greely broke through it, pushing Liz out of the way and grabbing Molly. It took only a few short seconds before they were both gone.

"Dean, he's got Molly!" Sam called as he ran for the window, jumping out.

"You okay?" I asked Liz as I rushed towards her.

She nodded. "Just go."

Doing as I was told, I followed Sam out the window in order to get Molly back. But I knew it was too late. The ghosts would be long gone.

**EPOV**

Turns out Greely and Molly had disappeared. Sam and Dean had tried to catch up, but it's hard to chase things that could disappear into thin air.

"This guy is persistent." Dean was pissed.

"We gotta find Molly." Sam told him as they walked back into the living room

"We gotta find Greely's bones. And, uh, no pressure or anything, but we got less than two hours before sunrise." Dean noted, taking a seat next to me as I sat by the broken window. "Show me."

I didn't have to ask to know what he was talking about. Sighing, I lifted my hand to show him the few pieces of glass stuck there. "They're not that deep. I'm fine."

When Greely had shoved me away, I'd landed on the broken glass from the window he'd just smashed. I'd tried to lessen the blow by putting a hand out in front of me, hence the cuts.

"Goddamn it, Liz." taking my hand in his, he began to pick at the pieces. "Some of them are too deep for me to get right now."

"Hey." Sam moved towards us, carrying a scrapbook.

"What you got?" Dean asked as he looked at the page Sam was showing us. " _'February 6, 1992_ '. Wasn't that like two weeks before the accident?" he asked, reading the date of the photo on the page.

"Yeah." I nodded, looking at the picture. "It looks like Greely and his wife, standing outside the hunting cabin. But there's a tree there now. Right where there standing."

Sam turned the book to look at it as realisation hit him. "I should've thought of it."

"What?" Dean asked expectantly. It was clear Sam knew something we didn't.

"It's an old country custom, Dean." Sam hinted.

"Oh..." I understood now. "You plant a tree as a grave marker."

Sam nodded. "Exactly."

Dean looked from me to his brother. "You two are like walking encyclopedias of weirdness."

"Thank you." I shrugged, standing up. "So, we know where the bones are, let's do this."

Grabbing my arm, Dean stopped me from walking off. "You're not doing anything with that hand. You won't be able to hold the shovel to dig, and there is no way I'm letting you go anywhere near Greely."

"So you'd rather I go wait by the car. On my own. In the middle of the night. On a highway that's haunted. With a bleeding hand and headaches that are sometimes so strong I black out?"

He was speechless, opening a closing this mouth as he tried to come up with a response. But nothing came out of his mouth.

"That's what I thought." I shrugged, heading for the door.

**DPOV**

Molly was screaming. We could hear as we rounded the house, heading for the door. Looking through the window I could see Greely grinning evilly as he cut all over her body.

"Go get Molly." Sam told me. "We got this." he assured me.

Nodding, I dropped my bag and grabbed my gun as I stepped up to the front door. Greely's back was too me. Lifting the gun, I aimed the barrel at him and pulled the trigger. He was gone in an instant.

Molly let out a breath of relief. "Oh, thank God."

I shrugged, giving her a light smile. "Yeah, call me Dean."

But instead of responding her eyes went wide as she looked over my shoulder.

I turned as Greely chuckled. Lifting a finger, he flicked it towards me. The force had me turn back as I felt my cheek sting and throb, blood trickling out of a cut caused by that one movement he'd just made.

"This guy's really pissing me off." I groaned, getting a better grip on my gun before turning to shoot him. Before I could finish turning, I was sent flying across the room. My gun was knocked out of my hand from the force, leaving me defenceless. "Hurry up, Sam!" I called.

Greely gestured to a knife which flew into his hand. Turning back to me, he stalked over and knelt on the ground, grabbing my jacket he lined the blade up with my shoulder.

I held him back, struggling to keep him at a distance. But he was strong, and slowly but surely, the blade began to move down, getting closer and closer to me.

"Dean!" Liz yelled.

Hands grabbed at Greely and pushed him off me suddenly.

I looked up at Liz as she stood between the ghost and myself, an iron rod in her hand. Both she and Greely lifted their weapons to attack the other, now it was only a matter of who was faster.

But as they both lunged, Greely froze and began to scream as he burst into flames and vanished.

Liz lost her balance from her swing, dropping to her knees.

I scrambled over to her. "You okay?"

She nodded, turning to give me a gentle smile. "Peachy."

"You are unbelievable, you know that?" getting to my feet as I shook my head, I offered her my hand and pulled her back up. "You wanna get out of here?"

She nodded as she dusted herself off. "Yes please."

**EPOV**

Dean walked ahead of us once he saw his car on the side of the road. "Oh, baby, it's been a long night." he gave the car a couple of taps as he got into the driver's seat.

"All right, let's get you out of here." Sam nodded to Molly as he opened the back door for her.

But she refused to get in. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what happened to my husband."

Standing one the other side, I sighed. "Nothing happened to him, Molly. He's alive."

"What?" she looked confused.

"Get in the car, and we'll take you to him. I promise."

She smiled at me, relief in her eyes. Without another word she got in the car.

Sam gave me a short nod as a thank you as he got into the car as well. I went to do the same but paused as a pain began to throb in my palm. I looked down to the many cuts, knowing there was glass still in there. Wishing there wasn't.

I felt it before I saw it.

Slowly a piece of glass pushed its way out of my hand. I hissed in pain as it moved, but was too confused and mesmerised to look away or do anything. Another piece began to creep out, a little faster than the other. When that one was done, another started…

"Liz, what are you doing? Let's go already." Dean called to me.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry." I dropped my hand, letting the pieces of glass fall to the ground as I climbed into the car.

I had no idea what had just happened, but whatever it was, I had a feeling it was from whatever the demon's blood had done to me.

**SPOV**

Dean stopped in front of David's home. I nodded to it as I spoke to Molly. "He's in that house, right there."

She looked from the house to me. "I don't understand."

"You will." I assured her.

Dean, Lizzie and myself got out of the car before Molly followed. We headed for the path in front of the house, looking into the window where we could see David in the kitchen making a coffee.

Molly froze at the sight of him. "That's not... it can't be."

A woman walked into the kitchen, stepping up to David. When the two kissed, Molly's face trued from confusion to pain.

"What's happening?" she turned to us. "Who is that?"

"That's David's wife." I answered simply. She looked to the window once more before turning back to us. "I'm sorry Molly. Fifteen years ago, you and your husband hit Jonah Greely with your car. David survived."

She shook her head. "What are you saying?"

"We're saying that there isn't just one spirit haunting Highway 41." Dean started. "There are two."

"Jonah Greely... and you." Lizzie added.

"For the past fifteen years, one night a year you've been appearing on the highway."

"No, that's no possible." Molly didn't believe us, but I didn't blame her. "It was our anniversary, February 22-"

"1992." I finished.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Molly, it's 2007." Dean told her. He was trying to be gentle. But no matter what, it was hard to give this kind of news to someone. It was even harder to hear it.

Looking away from us, Molly thought it over, slowly realising we were right. "Oh, God... and Greely?"

"Each year he punishes somebody for his death. Chasing them, torturing them. And each year, that somebody is you." I explained.

"But I don't remember any of it."

"Because you couldn't see the truth, Molly." I told her.

"So that's why he won't let me off the highway. Because I... I killed him. I killed us both." in shock, she lowered herself to sit on the step that lead to the path heading towards David's front door. "Why didn't you tell me when you first saw me? Why wait until now?"

"You wouldn't have believed us." Dean answered.

She looked up at him. "And you needed me for bait."

"Well, we needed you." I countered.

She sighed, looking over her should to the house. "David..."

"Molly, we brought you here so you could move on."

She shook her head at me. "No, I have to tell him." she got back to her feet.

"Tell him what?" Lizzie asked. "He knows you love him. He knows you're sorry."

"Look, if you wanna go in there, we're not gonna stop you." I shrugged.

"Yeah, but you are gonna freak him right out." Dean noted. "For life." he was right.

"David's already said his goodbyes, Molly. Now it's your turn. This is your unfinished business."

Turning to me with tears in her eyes, she looked so broken and sad. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Just... let go. Of David, of everything." I suggested. "You do that, we think you'll move on."

"But you don't know where."

"No." there was no need to lie. She already knew the truth. "But Molly, you don't belong here. Haven't you suffered long enough? It's time. It's time to go."

As tear ran down her cheeks she looked to Dean, and then to Lizzie before stopping at me. Slowly nodding, she let us know she understood before she began to walk towards the road as the sun began to rise.

Looking at the bright golden lights, she finally let go, fading into nothing.

"I guess she wasn't so bad, for a ghost." Dean spoke. "You think she's really going to a better place?" he asked me.

"I hope so."

"Me too." Lizzie added.

"I guess we'll never know, not until we take the plunge ourselves, huh?"

"Doesn't really matter, Dean." I turned to him. "Hope is kinda the whole point."

"All right, Haley Joel." he nudged my arm. "Let's hit the road."

**Bamby**


	22. Unusual

**EPOV**

I sat at the table in our hotel room, watching the spoon in my coffee. Seeing as I was alone- Dean was out getting food while Sam was at the morgue getting some info for the case- I was taking this time to practice. Practice what, you might ask? Telekinesis.

A few weeks had passed since we'd finished the case on Highway 41. A few weens had passed since the incident where the glass in my hand came out all on its own, like magic. A few days later I'd reached for the door handle of the Impala, only the door opened before I could touch it. After that it didn't take long for me to figure out what was happening to me, so I started looking into the ability to move things with the mind.

Times like this, when I was alone, I started to build control over my ability. I was able to move a few things every now and then, but I couldn't always do it. The whole thing was both frustrating and interesting. Not to mention scary.

I hadn't built up the confidence to tell Sam or Dean yet. I had no idea how they'd react. On one hand, I knew they wouldn't hate me. But at the same time, I knew something would change between us. Especially with Dean.

How could he treat me the same after? Why would he? It's not like he had an ability. It's not like he knew how it felt. I knew things would change between us, I just didn't know how.

At that moment, the spoon in my coffee slowly began to move, twitching at first before it began to stir at a steady pace.

"So, strong negative emotions seem to get you going. Pain and fear." I nodded to the spoon as if it could understand me. "Kinda wish you were a little more positive."

The front door suddenly opened.

I quickly reached for my cup, grabbing the spoon with one hand as the other lifted the mug off the table as I began to stir the drink with my hand instead of my mind. "You're back early." I smiled nervously as Dean walked into the room. Sam was right behind him. "So, what'd you find out?"

"The victim, Nate Mulligan, was a lawyer. He had claw and bite marks all over him. They're calling it an animal attack." Sam noted as he moved headed for the beds, taking a seat, neither of them noticing the fact I was nervous. "But his heart was missing."

"This lawyer guy the first heart-free corpse in town?" Dean asked, putting the food in the fridge before moving to his bag, which he grabbed and took to his bed.

"First man." I answered, relaxing a little. "While you guys were away I did some research. Apparently, over the past year, several women have gone missing. Their bodies washed up later in the bay, too deteriorated to come up with anything solid."

Dean dropped on to his bed as he looked to me. "But no hearts?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Yeah, the coroner told me about them. They were all Hookers working at Hunter's Point. Cops are trying to keep things under wrap, but they're looking for a serial killer." Sam added before he turned to me. "So, how'd you find out."

"The internet... and I may have gone out for a few minutes to get some extra sugar for the room. Which is when I bumped into a cop."

Sam grinned. "So, he just told you all about the case?"

"Flirting is a powerful weapon, my friend." Giving him a wink, I stood from my chair and headed over to the couch that was across from their beds. "Anyway, all the murders line up with the week leading up to the full moon each month."

"Which is this week, right?" Dean asked.

"Hence the lawyer." Sam nodded.

Dean actually smiled. "Awesome."

Sam gave a light chuckle. "Dean, could you be a bigger geek about this?"

I looked to each of the brothers, confused. "Why is he so excited?" I asked, placing my cup of coffee on to the small table next to me.

"Are you kidding?" Dean turned to me. "What about a human by day, a freak animal killing machine by moonlight, don't you understand? Werewolves are badass." He told me, excitement shining in his eyes. "We haven't seen one since we were kids."

"Okay, sparky, and you know what? After we kill it, we can go to Disneyland." Sam joked.

Ignoring him, Dean pulled out a small box from his bag. "You know what the best part about it is? We already know how to bring these suckers down." Opening the box, he pulled out a silver bullet. "One of these bad boys right to the heart." He grinned, putting the bullet away. "So, what's our next move?"

Sam shrugged. "Talk to the girl who found the body."

**SPOV**

"I don't understand, I already gave my statement." Madison said as she led us into her apartment.

"Right, yeah, well, we just need to verify a few things." I explained.

Sighing, she gestured to the guy sitting on her couch. "This is my neighbour, Glen. Glen, this is detective-"

"Landis." Dean finished for her. "This here is Detective Dante." He gave me a pat on the back before gesturing to Lizzie. "And Detective Francis."

Glen nodded. "Well, guess I'll leave you to it."

As he stepped up to Madison, she offered him a kind smile. "Okay. Thanks for the casserole."

"Oh, how thoughtful." Dean watched as Glen left.

Ignoring Dean, Glen kept his attention on Madison. "Just call if you need anything." With that, he left.

Once he was gone, Madison started to talk again. "He's sweet. He came over to check on me." She told us before gesturing to the dining table. "Have- Have a seat."

The four of us sat down, as I got to business. "You must be pretty shaken up. You were Nate Mulligan's assistant?"

"For two years, yeah." Madison nodded.

"So you knew all about him?" Dean asked.

"Probably knew more about him than he did. Nate was... he was nice."

I felt like Madison was holding out on us. "But?"

"Nothing really, I-" she shrugged. "You get a few scotches in him and he'd hit on anyone in a five-mile radius. You know the type."

When Dean gave a light chuckle I looked over to see him grinning at Madison, looking her up and down. It was clear what he was thinking. "Yeah. I do, actually." I nodded.

"Quite well." Lizzie added. Dean turned to us, offended. But before he could say anything, Lizzie went on. "So, do you know if Nate had any enemies?"

Madison looked confused. "What do you mean? It sure looked like an animal attack."

"We're just covering all the bases." Dean assured her. "Anyone that might've had a beef with him? Former client, an ex?"

I noticed his last suggestion got a reaction out of Madison. "What?" I asked.

She shook her head. "This is embarrassing, but my ex-boyfriend, Kurt-"

Dean cut her off. "Kurt have a last name?"

"Mueller." she answered, and then continued. "After we broke up, he went kind of nuts. He's... well, he's kinda been stalking me. He got it in his head that something was going on between Nate and I. He showed up at my office."

That sounded like he might be our guy. "What happened?"

"Kurt got into it with Nate, threw a punch before security grabbed him. I was lucky to keep my job."

Aggressive. Definitely a warning sign. Even when werewolves were in their human forms they could be overly aggressive and dangerous. Short fuses. If this guy was as violent as Madison was suggesting then he didn't just sound like our guy, I was pretty sure he _was_ our guy.

Dean must have been thinking the same as I was. "When was the last time you saw Kurt?" he asked.

"A few night ago. Actually, the night Nate died. We were all grabbing drinks at this bar and Kurt showed up."

"And?" Dean pressed.

"Nothing. It was like he was watching me. Then he was gone. Tell you the truth... he scares me."

**DPOV**

As we headed back to the car, I looked to Sam and Liz. "So, what do you think?"

"Stalker ex-boyfriend? He hates the boss." Sam noted. "And he was there that night."

"You think he's out dog-faced boy?" I asked.

Sam shrugged. "Well, it's a theory."

Liz opened the back door to the car. "We've gone on a lot less."

I rested my arm on the roof of the car. "You feeling good enough to pay Kurt a visit tonight?"

It was a little odd. After the case on Highway 41, Liz had miraculously healed. Her headaches still came but they were nowhere near as bad as they had been. She was eating normally, sleeping a little better. Her humour had come back too, she was flirting again- with me and other guys. It was like nothing had happened. Despite that, I was still worried about her. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was waiting for it to all come back and knock her down harder than it had before.

But she just gave me a cheeky smile. "Don't worry, Winchester. I can keep up." She winked before slipping into Baby.

**EPOV**

Dean picked the lock to Kurt's front door, opening it before he stepped into the apartment. Sam and I followed, closing the door behind us. We all split up to search the place for anything that might tell us if Kurt was our guy or not.

It was nice to be back to normal. Being able to stand without feeling like I was going to collapse. Not having to be worried about getting into a fight, but I was strong enough to hold my own. Being stuck at Bobby's, or in hotel rooms, it had been a killer. Sure, I'd gone on a few cases, but the guys hadn't wanted me to do much more than some research, and even then, it was minimal.

Things were back to normal now. We went to bars, and I could pick up and leave with anyone I wanted, knowing Sam and Dean didn't like it but they couldn't stop me. I was back on the couch too- which I honestly didn't mind. I felt guilty taking a bed from one of the guys. I was eating all the foods I loved, I was doing all the things I loved- the main one being hunting.

If I'd still been sick, there was no way the guys would let me go with them to a potential werewolf's apartment in the middle of the night when the werewolf could actually be a werewolf.

"Anything?" Sam asked.

I sighed, shaking my head. "I got nothing."

"Nothing but leftovers and a six pack." Dean answered, closing the fridge door.

"Check the freezer." Sam suggested. "Maybe there's some human hearts behind the Haagen-Dazs or something." He smirked, clearly joking. But Dean actually went to check anyway.

As he reached for the freezer door, a noise outside caught our attention. I pulled my gun out from the back of my pants as Dean and I headed for the back door. Dean slid it open and stepped out, looking around.

"Anything?" I asked.

He shook his head as he went to turn to me, only to stop. "Hold on..." Stepping closer to the edge of the balcony, he looked the wall of the building next to the balcony. "Come here."

Stepping out to join him, I looked to where he was pointing. Along the wall were long claw marks that ran all the way down. "So... are we thinking the neighbourhood cat did that, or a werewolf?"

...

Dean and I had gone back inside to keep looking around. We'd been at it for less than ten minutes before we heard a gunshot. The three of us were out of the apartment in an instant, running in the direction of the sound.

When we'd left the building and entered the alley way next to it, it hadn't taken long before we'd found a body of a police officer behind a dumpster.

Sam pulled out his phone. "I'll call 911."

As he did that, Dean moved the dumpster out of the way so he could crouch down by the body. Looking at it, there was no doubt he'd been killed by a werewolf. He heart was still in place, but there was claw marks all over him.

"I'd say Kurt's looking more and more like our Cujo." Dean noted.

Sam stepped back over to us, shifting on the spot nervously. "If he's out here, we better check on Madison."

I was not an idiot. She was a good-looking girl, and the brothers were both single. I knew they liked her. Or they were at least attracted to her. Honestly, I didn't have a problem with it. But if their attraction towards the woman messed with the case in anyway, then I would have a problem.

**DPOV**

Sam raised his hand and knocked on Madison's door before taking a step back to stand with Liz and I as we waited. A moment later a door opened, but it was the one behind us.

"What's going on?" Glen asked.

"Police business, Glen." Was all I was going to give him. This guy clearly liked Madison, and I was not going to let that get in the way of our investigation.

Madison's door opened then. She stood in the door way, dressed in her pyjamas, looking at Liz, Sam and I. "What is it?"

"Well, maybe we should talk privately?" Sam suggested, looking over at Glen.

"Yeah, of course." Madison nodded as she took a step to the side. "Please, come in." We all walked into her apartment before she closed the door and started for the kitchen. "I was just making some coffee, do you want some."

I offered her a smile. "I'd love a cup."

Liz just rolled her eyes before giving Madison a nod. "We'd all like some, thanks."

"Sure." Madison reached for some mugs before she began to pour the coffee into them.

"Has Kurt been here?" Sam asked.

"Not exactly."

That didn't really answer his question. In fact, it just made me ask my own, "What exactly does 'not exactly mean?"

"Well, he was outside last night. Just looking. Just looking at me." She told us, causing Sam and I to share a look as she handed Liz a mug. Noticing the look, she frowned. "Has he done something?"

Sam shrugged as she handed him a cup. "We're not really sure."

"It's probably nothing." I assured her. "But we just don't wanna take any chances. In fact, one of us should probably stay here with you, just in case he stops by. Where does he work?"

"He owns a body shop." She answered, giving me my mug.

"You mind grabbing that address for us?" I asked.

She nodded and walked out to go get it. Once she was gone, Sam turned to me. "All right. You and Lizzie go, I'll stay."

"Forget that. You go after the creepy ex. I'm gonna hang here with the hot chick." I grinned.

"Dude, why do you always get to hang with the girls?"

"Because I'm older." Was all I said before taking a drink from my coffee.

"No. Screw that." He took my mug, placing both his and mine onto the bench. "We're gonna settle this the old-fashioned way." Raising his hands, he got ready to play paper-scissors-rock.

Liz rolled her eyes. "How mature."

Shrugging, I lifted my own hands. At the same time we taped our fist into our other palm three times, on the third one we chose our 'weapon'. I picked scissors, he picked rock.

"Dean, always with the scissors." He looked so smug.

But I wasn't willing to give up so easily. "Shut up. Shut up. Two out of three."

Sighing, he raised his hands once more before we played again, only to get the same results.

"God!" I groaned.

He grinned. "Bundle up out there, all right?"

Liz actually laughed as she walked out of the kitchen, shaking her head.

**SPOV**

I sat at Madison's dining table, waiting for Dean and Lizzie to come back. As much as I had wanted to stay because I liked Madison, I wasn't entirely sure how I was supposed to make a move.

She walked over, placing some mail on the table. "Do you wanna sit on the couch?"

"No. No, no, I'm okay."

"It's more comfortable."

"I'm fine." I insisted.

"Okay." She shrugged before walking off. A moment later she came back, dumping a basket of laundry on to the table. All of the laundry happened to be her underwear.

"You know what?" I think I will sit on that couch." I nodded, getting up and moving over to the living room. The moment I sat, my phone began to ring.

" _Let me guess. You're sitting on her couch like a stiff, trying to think of something to say._ "

Ignoring Dean, I concentrated on the case. "Did you find Kurt?"

" _He hasn't been at work all week. But because I'm good, and I mean really, really good, I got a line on where he might be._ " He answered before I heard the sound of the Impala door close. " _What she wearing?_ "

"Bye, Dean." With that, I hung up.

**EPOV**

So, Dean had found out where Kurt was... turns out it was a strip club.

Parked out the front, Dean looked at me as I watched the building. "You can stay in the car if you want."

"Ha! And let you go in there and get distracted?" I shook my head, opening the car door. "No. I'm coming."

He grinned. "Fine by me. Maybe you can show these girls a thing or two?"

I rolled my eyes, a grin of my own forming. "Keep dreaming, Winchester?"

Stepping up to me, he wrapped his arm around my waist as he whispered in my ear. "I'm about to enter a strip joint with the hottest chick in the city. My dreams are pretty much becoming a reality."

I laughed lightly at him, shaking my head as we continued for the front door of the club. With a nod to the bouncer, he let us walk right in with no problem. Once we stepped inside we were surrounded by pink and purple neon lights, excited men, women dressed in skimpy outfits and some kind of music I honestly had no care for.

Dean's face lit up. "Now this is what I'm talking about."

"Whatever." Shaking my head I gestured to the bar. "I'm getting a drink."

"Yeah, yeah." He nodded, not even looking at me.

Sighing, I walked off, heading over to the bar, knowing Dean's attention was going to be on nothing but the dancers.

**SPOV**

"Wait, so Kendall married Ethan's father just to get back at him?" I asked as Madison turned the TV off. We'd just spent the last hour watching some drama show, and I surprisingly found it interesting.

"Yep." She gave a short nod. "And now she's set to inherit all the casinos that were supposed to go to Ethan."

"What a bitch."

She laughed. "Admit it, you're hooked."

"No, no, no. I- I wouldn't say I'm hooked." I insisted as I leaned back in the couch. "You know... can I ask you a question? It's... it's a little personal."

"You've seen my entire underwear collection. Go ahead."

"Okay. Um, well, you're... you're clearly smart. I mean, you house is full of great books, you know, and you're independent."

"Uh-huh." She nodded.

"What were you doing with Kurt?"

She thought about it for a moment before answering. "I don't know. I mean, it's not like he introduced himself like, 'Hi, I'm possessive, controlling, and I punch people. Wanna be my girlfriend?'." She laughed.

I nodded, chuckling a little myself. "Yeah, well, I guess we all make mistakes."

"Yeah, well, mine's wanted by the police." She noted. "You wanna know why I stayed with him? Really? I was too insecure to leave."

"I find that hard to believe. I mean, you don't really seem like the type."

"Yeah, well, some stuff happened. My life changed. I changed for the better, I think."

"What happened?"

"Well, for one thing, I got mugged."

"And that's supposed to be a good thing?"

She laughed. "I know. It sounds strange. And don't get me wrong, it rattled me, but then it hit me... I could keep feeling sorry for myself or I could take control of my life. I chose the latter. First thing I did was tell Kurt he had to go."

"Smart move."

"Apparently. Everything else just opened up, blossomed. It's all been wonderful, really." When I just nodded, she shrugged. "What? Doesn't everybody think being a victim of violence is the best thing that ever happened to them?"

"Yeah, not so much." I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I looked over at her. "You're, unusual."

"Unusual like, unusual?" she lifted her hand to point at her head to ask if I thought she was crazy.

"No. No, no. Unusual like... impressive."

"You think so?"

It was at that moment my phone began to ring. "Sorry." reaching into my pocket, I answered the phone. "Hey."

" _We found him_." It was Lizzie.

"Good. Don't take your eyes off him."

" _I won't. Not too sure about your brother._ " She sounded both annoyed and amused. Dean seemed to make her feel like that quite often. " _Just calling to let you know. It's too loud in here to talk so I'm gonna go._ "

"Yeah, all right. Just be careful."

" _Always, Sammy._ " I could hear the smile in her voice before she hung up.

**EPOV**

We were standing in the ally way outside of Kurt's apartment, I leaned against the wall next to Dean. "You seemed to have a lot of fun at the club tonight."

He grinned. "I don't know. Out of the two of us, you were getting more attention"

"What can I say? The ladies love me." I winked at him.

He chuckled, about to say something. But the sound of glass smashing had us both look up to Kurt's window, which was now broken and the lights were off.

"What the-"

Before Dean could finish, I was already running for the building.

...

Gun out, I kicked Kurt's front door open, knowing Dean was only a couple of steps behind me. Hurrying into the apartment, I quickly but carefully looked into every room as I made my way further and further inside. When I reached the dining room I came to a stop.

Kurt was lying on the ground, dead, someone kneeling over him.

As they turned I realised two things. One, it was the werewolf. Two, it was Madison. With that shocking news, I'd been too distracted to react as she lunged, growling, claws reaching for me.

"Liz!" Dean pushed me out of the way, causing Madison to throw him instead.

He flew through the air and hit his head as he collided with the wall. In a matter of moment he blacked out. Once he passed out Madison turned back to me.

I reached into my boot and pulled out my knife. I didn't care where I got her, I just knew I had to do some kind of damage.

As she lunged for me I swung my arm out, blade aimed at her. It sliced her arm, causing her to yell out in pain. She back handed me, pushing my head back into the coffee table. The force was so strong that in a matter of moments I fell unconscious just like Dean. The last thing I saw was Madison jump out the window.

**SPOV**

As I stood in the kitchen having a drink of water my phone began to ring. Pulling it from my pocket I looked to the caller ID before answering. "Dean, you guys okay?"

" _We are, now that we're conscious. The werewolf knocked us out._ " He explained. " _Sam, it's Madison._ "

"What?" That couldn't be right. Turning, I started for her bedroom.

" _Yeah, awesome job of keeping an eye on her._ "

I looked into her room, seeing her in bed. "Dean, I've been here the whole time. She's in bed, asleep."

" _Well, she wasn't an hour ago. Check her right arm below her elbow. Liz nicked her with a silver knife._ "

As I hung up Madison rolled over and woke up, smiling at me. "Morning." She sat up, holding the sheets to her. My eyes landed on the cut on her arm. Dean was right. She looked down at herself. "Where are my pyjamas?" Instead of answering I walked out of the room. "Sam? What's going on?" She followed me. "Where are you going?"

Reaching her front door, I locked it as I turned back to her. "I'm not going anywhere. And neither are you."

**Bamby**

 


	23. Rip Out My Heart

**EPOV**

Dean pounded his fist on the door to Madison's apartment. A moment later it opened as Sam let us in. Walking through, we found Madison tied to a chair in the living room.

"How you doing?" Dean smiled at her, pulling out his gun. "My head feels great, thanks." He spoke before she could answer.

I didn't say anything to her. I just glared.

Sam sighed behind us, speaking low so only we could hear. "We gotta talk." Walking away, he led us into the kitchen, closing the door behind us. "She says she has no idea what I'm talking about."

I shook my head. "Bullshit."

"Liz is right. She's gotta be lying."

"Or Maybe she doesn't know she's changing. Maybe when the creature takes over she blacks out." Sam suggested.

"Like a really hot Incredible Hulk?" Dean wasn't buying it. "Come on, dude. She ganked her boss and her ex-boyfriend. That doesn't sound rash and unconscious."

"Yeah, but what if it was, Dean?" Sam was clearly holding on a hope I had a feeling was only going to screw him over. "I mean, what if some animal part of her brain saw those both those guys as threats? Hell, the cop too."

"What, are you the dog whisperer now?"

Sam shook his head at his brother. "Look, man, I just... I don't know. There was something in her eyes."

Sighing, I pulled myself up on to the bench. "Sam, that's called murder."

"But if she has no control-"

Dean cut him off. "Exactly, she can't control it. Look, even if she's telling the truth, it's not gonna change anything."

"I'm not putting a bullet through some girl's chest who has no idea what happening."

"Sam, she's a monster and you're feeling sorry?" Dean was getting worked up, unable to understand his brother.

But at that moment, I realised why this was so important to Sam. "He understands her."

They both turned to me, though it was Dean who spoke. "What?"

I shrugged. "Sam has no control over what's been done to him. Just like Madison. They didn't choose this."

Dean didn't know about me. About what I could do. Sam didn't either, but he knew it was only a matter of time before I got some kind of ability. That meant I was in the same boat as Sam. In the end, we could both turn into a monster unwittingly. We'd have no control over our actions. We'd be just like Madison.

Suddenly I felt bad for being pissed at her...

"There might be another way we can get the job done without having to waste her." Sam suggested, moving to his bag that sat on the counter before he pulled out their father's journal.

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Dean didn't sound too sure about whatever Sam was talking about.

"Dad's theory." Sam nodded as he began to read from the journal. "' _Lycanthropy might have a cure if you kill the werewolf who bit you bit you, severing the bloodline_ '."

Dean wasn't buying it. "'Might'. Meaning who the hell knows?" He turned to me. "You heard of it working?"

"Honestly?" I looked to both of them, feeling a little guilty. "I've never tried. Just kinda, killed every werewolf I've come across." I knew they used to be people, that part of them still was, but so were vampires. If it came down to them or innocent people... I always went for the kill.

"See. It's worth a shot, Dean." Sam insisted.

"We don't even know where to start looking." Dean noted. "All right. The puppy that bit her could be anyone, anywhere. Could have been years ago."

Shaking his head, Sam looked away, annoyed with his brother. That was until he turned back to us, an idea in his head. "No, I don't think so." Putting the journal onto the bench, he walked out of the kitchen and headed into the living room. "Madison. When were you mugged?"

Dean and I walked into the room, seeing her glaring at Sam, refusing the answer.

"Please. It's important, all right? Just answer the question." Sam insisted.

"About a month ago."

"Did you see the guy?"

"No. Grabbed me from behind."

"Did he bite you?"

She looked up at Sam, confused. "How did you know that?"

Dean and I shared a look. We both knew that meant this was her first cycle. The first time she'd turned. She was a newbie, which could explain why she had no idea what was happening to her.

"Where?" Sam asked.

"On the back of my neck."

Sam showed her his gun as he placed it onto the dining room table before he moved to stand behind her where he brushed her hair to the side. Dean and I walked over to have a look, seeing the bite on the back of her neck. It was small, but it had still done the trick.

"Well, that's just a love bite. Believe me, that could have been a lot worse." Dean noted as we moved back to stand in front of her. "Where were you at the time?"

"Walking home from a friend's loft."

"Let me guess, not too far from Hunter's Point?"

She nodded at Sam.

The brothers shared a look before gesturing to the kitchen. I didn't follow them as they left though. Instead I grabbed a chair from the table and sat in front of Madison.

"So, you think I'm a werewolf as well?"

"Yep." I answered simply. "But... I'm not really that pissed with you anymore. I kinda understand what you're going through, even though you have no idea what's happening to you."

She gave a bitter laugh. "What, so you've been held hostage and tied to a chair before?"

"Actually, yeah. More than once."

"Did Sam or Dean ever-"

"No. They're practically family. They've never done anything to hurt me. Never put me in danger unless there's been no other choice." I gave her a soft smile. "They're pretty good guys."

"Sorry, I find that hard to believe."

I completely understood. I mean, I'd probably be a little concerned if she'd agreed with me. "Yeah, but at least you're not dead. I mean, usually we would have killed you by now. It's our job."

"Killing innocent people isn't a job."

"No. But killing vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons, shapeshifters and all the things that go bump in the night? That's a job."

"You're insane."

"Maybe. But I'm not wrong." Standing up, I put the chair back in its place. "You'll see."

The kitchen door opened as Dean poked his head out. "Liz." He motioned me over.

Nodding, I gave Madison one last look before I joined the brothers in the kitchen. "So, what are we doing?"

"I'm going to go find the other werewolf. Kill it. Hopefully that'll save Madison." Dean told me. "You and Sam are gonna stay here, keep an eye on Madison."

"You really think you should go on your own? I mean, Madison is tied up. Sam can handle her on his own." I believed Sam could handle himself. Dean could too. But he was going after a werewolf in its territory. That sounded too risky to me. "Maybe I should go with you."

Looking to Sam for a moment, Dean sighed. "I need you to stay here. Sam says he'll shoot her if she gets loose, but I need him to have back up. I _know_ you'll do it. I want you to stay, just in case."

Slowly, I nodded. "Okay."

**SPOV**

Lizzie sat on the couch, flicking through a magazine as I stood by the window, looking out, watching the sun slowly set. It would only be a matter of time now.

"Please." Madison cried. "Just let me go."

Lizzie and I shared a look. I knew she understood Madison just like I did. I hadn't mentioned it before because Dean didn't know anything yet, but I still knew she'd been thinking the same thing.

The two of us were like Madison. Innocent people who were unfortunate enough to be turned into things we didn't want to be.

Sighing, I walked over to grab a chair and sit in front of Madison. "Look... I know you're scared. I also know that there's no way in hell you're gonna believe me. But I'm doing this because I'm trying to help you. I'm not gonna lie. The odds aren't exactly in our favour. But if this goes the way I pray it does, I'll untie you, and I'll walk out that door and I'll never come back. You'll live the rest of your life. And I'll just be a bad memory."

...

It was dark, but Madison hadn't turned. I had no doubts though. She was a werewolf. I was sure of it. Soon she'd turn, I just had to be ready.

"I gotta go to the bathroom." Lizzie noted as she put her magazine down and got off the couch. "You gonna be all right in here?"

I gave her a short nod. "Yeah. We're fine."

Shrugging, she headed for the bathroom, leaving Madison and I alone. But we didn't talk. I just turned back to the window.

A moment or so later things went from tense to insane. Madison had changed so fast, I'd hadn't been able to make a single move before she'd ripped her arms free from their binds. I'd only just gotten my gun out when she'd clawed at my face and knocked me to the ground.

Scrambling to my feet, I aimed my gun at her as I backed up. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I had to keep some distance between us. If she lunged, I'd have to shoot, and I really didn't want to.

"Sam!" Lizzie came out of the hall, eyes wide as she looked to Madison.

Lifting her hand, she somehow flung Madison across the room as she lifted her other hand to open the door to a spare room which she threw Madison in. Once Madison was in, she slammed the door and slid the entertainment cabinet over to block the. All while she stood in the doorway of the hall on the other side of the room...

I hurried over to press myself against the cabinet to add some extra weight. As I did this Lizzie moved over to do the same, facing me.

Neither of us said anything, but we both knew there was going to be a conversation about what just happened. I mean, she threw a werewolf across the room using telekinesis... I'm not just going to forget something like that, or let it slide.

But for now, we'd focus on Madison.

**EPOV**

I sat in the back seat of the Impala, Sam and Dean in the front. Sam and I had left Madison once Dean gave us the call to let us know he'd finished the job. Apparently, the werewolf had been Glen, Madison's neighbour.

"It was sort of said, actually." Dean started. "Glen had no clue what was going on." He shook his head. "Why do you think he turned Madison, instead of just killing her in the first place?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. He seemed to have a thing for her."

"Maybe his primal instinct did too." Dean suggested. "Maybe he was looking for a little hot breeding action."

"Yeah. Something like that." Sam agreed, but I could tell he just wanted Dean to shut up. He'd really liked Madison, and now he had to leave. It sucked. We all knew how it felt.

"So?" Dean asked expectantly, confusing Sam.

"So, what?"

"Speaking of Madison."

Sam groaned. "Oh, whatever."

"Don't whatever me, man. You liked her. Maybe, uh-"

"Dean, she thought I was a stark raving lunatic."

"You saved her life."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that."

"What do you think, Liz?" Dean turned to me. "Usually you would have taken a side by now. You think Sammy stands a chance?"

"I'd probably forgive a guy for anything if he saved my life." I answered, speaking for the first time since entering the car.

Just then there was a knock on Sam window. We all turned to see Madison standing outside. "You know, for a stakeout, your car's a bit conspicuous." She noted as Sam wound the window down. "What are you still doing here?"

"Honestly? Uh..." Dean thought about how to answer before he just went right out with the truth. "We're pretty sure you're not gonna turn tonight, but we gotta be a hundred percent. So, you know, we're lurking."

When Madison looked to each of us, clearly not pleased, Sam quickly spoke before she could. "Look, I know this sounds crazy-"

She cut him off. "Sure does. But if we're gonna wait it out, we might as well do it together."

...

I sat on the edge of Madison's living room window, feeling the breeze blow my hair off my shoulders as I looked up at the clear night sky, my eyes focused on the moon. We were still waiting to see if Madison was actually going to change. It was already midnight, and she was still very much human.

It gave me hope.

After last night, using my abilities like I had... I was scared. I thought moving a spoon was all I could do but once I saw Sam in danger, I kind of just reacted without thinking. Now he knew the truth. He knew what I could do. It was only a matter of time before he'd bring it up. It was only a matter of time he'd suggest I let Dean know.

As much as I trusted Dean, I didn't think I could tell him this. What I was. I wasn't sure I could tell anyone. They may not hate me, but they'd act differently. They tread a little lighter. They distance themselves. I didn't want them to treat me like someone they have to be careful around.

"You okay?"

I turned to see Dean moving a chair over so he could sit by me. Sam and Madison were on the couch, talking amongst themselves. We were all just waiting.

"Uh, I guess." I shrugged, giving him a smile.

He didn't return my smile. He just sat there, searching my eyes, trying to figure out whether or not I was telling the truth. "Liz, you know you can tell me anything, right? You can trust me."

Reaching over I rested a hand on his knee, my smile softening. "I know, Dean." But honestly, I wasn't sure if I could. Not completely at least. Not with this.

**DPOV**

The four of us stood in front of the window, watching as the sun rose above the horizon. We'd lasted the whole night without Madison turning into a werewolf.

She turned to Sam. "Does... does this mean it worked?"

"Yeah, I think so." Sam nodded.

She let out a sigh of relief as she threw her arms around him. "Oh, God, thank you. Thank you so much." She held him tighter as his hands wrapped around her.

I looked to each of them, confused. I was the one who killed the monster. Turning to Liz, I found her grinning at me, probably knowing what I was thinking.

Clearing my throat, I got their attention.

Madison chuckled, stepping back from Sam. "You too, Dean. And Elizabeth. Thank you."

"Don't mention it." I smiled as I looked to both of them again. "Yeah... so, Liz and I are just gonna head back to the hotel and watch some pay-per-view or something." I shrugged, nudging Liz's arm. "Let's go."

"Right." she grabbed her jacket off the back of a chair. "See you later, Sammy. Madison." she nodded as we headed for the door before leaving them alone.

I knew they wanted to be alone. It was obvious what was going to happen. Even though I liked Madison, I knew she liked Sam. Besides, Sam deserved to be happy. He deserved to have a win for a change.

Once the door to the apartment was closed, Liz turned to me. "How long do you think it'll take to get back to the hotel?"

"I don't know. Why?"

She grinned, looking me up and down. "I don't wanna waste any time we have alone. We should take advantage of it. Have some fun while we can."

I could see the clear message in her eyes, and suddenly, we couldn't get to the hotel fast enough.

**EPOV**

I rolled on to my stomach, the sheet on the bed draped over me as I looked over at Dean who was on his side of the mattress, watching me.

His eyes looked to my hand, admiring my tattoos. "You've never told me the stories behind your tattoos."

I shrugged, moving my bar of chocolate away from my face. "You've never asked."

"I am now." he noted.

"Okay." I reached over to the night stand and put my chocolate down before I moved closer to him. "This," I showed him the small arrow on the inside of my left pointer, "is a reminder to always keep moving forward. No matter what." Putting the finger down, I gestured to the infinity symbol on the inside of my pinky. "This is a promise to always love the ones I love. To never forget them. And to hold them in my heart."

"What about these?" His ran a finger down my spine where I had the lunar cycle tattooed.

I shivered at the touch, a smile lifting my lips as I closed my eyes. "Change, and life." I answered, slowly opening my eyes again. "Plus, I didn't like having my back bare, and I thought it looked pretty."

He shook his head, amused. "What else you got?"

Rolling over I pointed to the humming bird behind my right ear. "My mother used to sing to me when I was a little. It was the only way I could fall asleep."

"What about this one?" The pad of his thumb ran along three small words that sat on my collar bone above my heart.

"'Live a little...'. It's something my sister used to say to me."

He looked a little confused and amused. "You don't look like the kind of girl who needs to be told to live a little."

"Now I don't. But before, I was a bit of a shut in. Didn't have any friends except for my sister. I mainly focused on my studies. A wild weekend was never a thing I experienced until I became a hunter." Before he could ask anything else, I lowered the sheet to show him the rose on my right hip bone. "I was given the middle name Rose, because they're beautiful and strong." I grinned. "Which is perfect, because I'm beautiful and strong too."

He gave a light laugh. "But you're not modest. That's for sure."

I shrugged. "Why be modest when you can be honest? That's what my mum used to say."

Still smiling, his eyes searched mine as his face turned a little curious. "You don't talk about them. Your family."

My smile faultered for a moment. "You don't talk about yours." I noted.

"At least you know what happened to mine."

I sighed, rolling on to my side to look at him. "Dean, it's hard. And complicated. And depressing. You don't wanna hear-"

"Try me. Just tell me something. Anything. Tell me about your sister."

I thought about it for a moment before I let the words fall from my mouth. "She was older, by three years. She had the brightest smile I'd ever seen. It lit up her whole face. Her eyes and nose would crinkle. And her laugh. She had the best laugh." I looked up at the roof as I remembered her. "She was the only one who could make me laugh so hard, I'd snort. My sides would hurt and I'd start crying. It was the best feeling."

Turning, I grabbed my bag off the floor and pulled out my purse to show him a picture inside. The picture was of the two of us. I was on my sister's back, her hands holding my legs around her so I wouldn't fall. She was laughing, her eyes closed as I kissed her cheek.

We looked so different. Her hair was styled and deep brown, her skin a little more tanned from being out in the sun. She was taller than me too. My hair was just flat and long, pulled up into a high ponytail. I was smaller and thinner than I was now, having not gone through puberty all the way yet.

Dean looked away from the photo, our eyes meeting. "What was her name?"

"Gabriella. But everyone called her Gabby."

He reached for my purse again and pulled out two more photos. One was of my mum laughing, she looked exactly like Gabby. The other was of a younger Gabby- when she was about four and blonde- sitting on our dad's shoulders.

"You're parents?"

"Yeah. Roger and Janice." I nodded. "My mum was... she was the rock of the family. She did everything she could to keep us going. She was a cop so her hours were all over the place. By the time we were teens, mum started working more to provide for us, seeing as Gabby was old enough to take care of me."

Dean looked confused and a little disappointed. "What about your dad? He didn't work? Wasn't around?"

"Kinda hard to be around when you're dead." His eyes softened to guilt, but I just shook my head. "Don't apologise. I never knew him. He died when I was a baby."

He was a little unsure with his next question, but he still asked. "How... how did it happen?"

"My mum worked night shifts sometimes. He'd take care of my sister and me. One night, there was an accident. The house caught fire. Dad didn't make it out..."

"So, you've lost everyone?"

"Yeah. I don't even have any cousins or anything. Just Bobby, Ellen, Jo and Ash. You and Sam now, too." I smiled.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Moving closer to him, I ran my fingers through his hair. "Like I said. Always gotta keep moving forward." I reminded him as I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.

**DPOV**

A loud knocking on the door turned Liz's and my attention to it. The urgency of the knock told us it was clearly important, and probably Sam.

I got off the bed and threw Liz's pants at her "Put these on."

She was only in her shirt and underwear. But seeing as we'd been lying in bed, relaxing, enjoying the time alone, she hadn't felt the need to where pants. Now we were both glad we weren't completely naked.

As I headed for the door I pulled on my shirt- which is the only thing I'd been missing. Once it was on, I opened the door, revealing Sam just like I'd guessed.

He was out of breath, stressed and worried. Something was clearly wrong. "She turned."

"What?" I frowned. That didn't make sense. How could she have turned when she'd lasted all night?

"I couldn't grab her in time." Sam looked almost sick with worry.

"We'll find her, Sammy." I assured him before turning to Liz.

She'd been making her way over to the door, grabbing our shoes and my jacket on her way. "What are we waiting for? Let's go." She nodded, handing me my things as we left the room.

**EPOV**

We hurried towards the car, Dean and Sam in front as Sam explained what happened. "I already called Bobby. He doesn't know anything. Except, he knew severing the bloodline wouldn't work. Most everyone says it's impossible to reverse it."

"How come she didn't turn when we were with her?" Dean asked, having a good point.

"Dean-"

He cut Sam off. "So, you put her to bed, then she wolfed out? Maybe she's gotta be asleep to turn?"

"What the hell does it matter, Dean?" Sam stopped and turned to look at him. "Look, we gotta find some way to help her. Some legend we missed, or something."

Dean shook his head. "If there was, don't you think someone we know would've known?"

"Well then, we have to look harder until we find something."

"Sammy, I don't think we got a choice here anymore."

Sam almost hurt as he frowned at his brother. "What?"

"I hate to say it, she's a sweet girl, but part of her is-"

It was Sam's turn to cut Dean off. "Evil?"

"Yeah." Dean gave a short nod.

"That's what they say about me, Dean. So me, you won't kill but her, you're just gonna blow away?" Sam was clearly pissed, but before any of us could say anything, his phone began to ring. As he answered it there was a pause before he spoke, face surprised and relieved. "Madison. Where are you?" He asked, hurrying to the car.

Dean and I were right behind him, listening to his side of the conversation.

"Well, do you see any street signs?" There was another pause before Sam nodded. "All right, all right. Hold on, Maddy. We're coming to get you. Stay where you are." he told us as we all got in the car. Turning to Dean, he hung up the phone. "Middlepoint."

...

We were in Madison's living room with Dean's gun on the dining table.

Madison shook her head, confused and a little in shock. "I don't remember anything. I probably killed someone last night. Didn't I?"

Dean was the only one willing to answer. "There's no way to know yet."

She turned to him. "Is there something else we can try to make it go away?"

"We'll find something." Sam insisted. "I mean, there's got a be some answer, somewhere."

But Dean and I knew the truth, and once again, Dean was willing to give her the real answer. "That's not entirely true. Madison, you deserve to know. We've scoured every source. There's just no cure."

She looked to Sam then. "Is... is he right?"

Sam refused to answer, struggling with the reality of the situation. Instead, he pulled himself up and walked away. That in itself was an answer to her question.

"We could lock you up at night." Dean offered. "But you'd bust out, and some night you will... someone else dies. I'm sorry, I am."

A tear ran down her cheek as she nodded. "So I guess that's all there is to it, then."

"Stop it." Sam turned back to her. "Don't talk like that."

"Sam, I don't wanna hurt anyone else. I don't wanna hurt you." She grabbed Dean's gun and stood, moving over to Sam.

He didn't even look at the gun. "Put that down."

"I can't do it myself. I need you to help me."

"Madison. No."

"Sam. I'm a monster."

It was at that moment I stood and walked out of the room. I walked into the kitchen feeling tears running down my face as I silently cried.

The hope Sam had been holding on to had rubbed off on me. When we'd though Madison had been cured, I'd been given this feeling of possibility. It was as if I had this new understanding of the world, and that part of me knew I'd never become a monster as long as I fought. But when Sam showed up at the hotel this afternoon and told us that we hadn't cured Madison. We hadn't changed her. That's when my hope began to fade.

Sam walked in, looking to me, tears of his own threatening to spill. He'd grown feeling towards Madison. It was more than just attraction. If this had to be done, if she had to die, he'd be losing a future he could have had, and part of his hope he was desperately holding on to.

Dean was close behind, his attention on his brother. "Sam." When Sam turned to him, he gestured to the gun which was now in his hand. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're right." Sam's voice cracked as he cried. "She's right."

"Sammy, I got this one. I'll do it." Dean offered.

Sam shook his head. "She asked me to."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do." Reaching out, Sam nodded to the gun as tears continued to fall from his eyes. "Please." It took a moment, but eventually, Dean gave the gun up. "Just wait here. Wait with Lizzie." Sam told him before walking off.

Dean looked to me for the first time since entering the kitchen. He watched as tears rolled down my cheeks and my body shook as I tried not to make a noise while crying. He stepped up, pulling me to his chest as he rested his chin on the top of my head, letting me cry against him.

The sound of the gun going off had us both flinch. It was then I couldn't hold back any longer as my body broke down into uncontrollable sobs.

**Bamby**


	24. Lights, Camera, Action

**EPOV**

I sat next to Sam in the tour cart as we were driven around a studio in Hollywood. It was my first time in LA, but surprisingly, I wasn't that excited. The hype of it all was wasted on me. Why be excited about fake worlds when I knew the exciting truths of our own? Sam seemed to be on the same page as me. Dean on the other hand? He was practically giddy with excitement.

"First opened in 1927, the lot has been in continuous operation for eight decades," the guide noted.

"Hey, you know this is where they filmed Creepshow?" I turned to see Dean talking to the teen next to him. The teen of course, couldn't care less, more interested in his ice cream.

"Now, to the right here is Stars Hollow. It's the setting for the television series _Gilmore Girls_ ," the guide spoke through her microphone. "And if we're lucky, we might even catch one of the show's stars.

That caught my attention. "I loved that show. The character Dean, he was always my favourite." I smiled, looking around to see if I could spot a familiar face.

Suddenly Sam stepped off the cart, but before I could go after him, I was stopped.

I felt Dean's breath on my ear before I heard him whisper so only I could hear him. "Must be the name."

"Pretty sure it was his good looks." I grinned as I left the cart and followed Sam.

Dean was right behind us. "Guys, can't we finish the tour?" he whined, but didn't protest anymore as we continued walking.

...

Grinning widely, Dean looked at everything, acting like a kid on Christmas morning. "Check it out, it's Matt Damon." He gestured to a janitor.

Sam gave a short and light laugh. "Yeah, pretty sure that's not Matt Damon."

"No, it is," Dean insisted.

"Well, Matt Damon just picked up a broom and started sweeping," Sam pointed out.

Shrugging, Dean was sure he was right. "Yeah, well, he's probably researching a role or something."

I could help but laugh. "Sure Dean, you must be right." Shaking my head I turned to Sam. "So, where are we going?"

"This way." He nodded to a coming corner. "I think Stage 9's over here."

"Come on, man. Let's just keep going this way." Dean pointed to the road ahead of us, eager to keep exploring.

But Sam was adamant. "No, come on, we gotta work," he told us, earning a sigh from Dean. "Dude, you wanted to come to LA."

"Yeah, for vacation. I mean, swimming pools and movie stars. Not to work."

"Does this seem like swimming-pool weather to you, Dean?" Sam asked, speaking of the grey clouds and chilly air that had all three of us wearing jackets. "It's practically Canadian."

"Yeah. I just figured that after everything happened with... Madison, you could use a little R and R, that's all," Dean suggested.

"Well, maybe I wanna work, Dean. It keeps my mind off things."

"Okay, boys. Enough." I moved to stand in front of them, pressing a hand to their chests. "We've got a job to do." Looking to Sam, I stayed serious. "We focus on the job, get it done." I turned to Dean, smiling. "If we get it done fast enough, you can have a little fun before we move on to the next job. Sound fair?" I asked both of them.

They both simply nodded before Sam continued on.

Once he was out of earshot, Dean stepped a little closer, wrapping an arm around my waist. "You know..." He leaned in to whisper in my ear even though no one else was listening anyway, "If Sammy's all twisted up in this case, we might get some alone time."

Laughing, I shook my head, stepping back and ignoring his grin. "Head out of the clouds and into the job, Winchester. There are damsels in distress waiting for you to rescue them."

Still grinning, he walked beside me as we moved to catch up to Sam. "So, this crew guy, what did he... he died on set?" he asked me.

"Yep." I nodded. "Apparently the sets haunted."

"What, like _Poltergeist_?"

As we caught up to Sam, he answered his brother. "I guess it could be a poltergeist."

"He means the movie, Sam."

Dean looked to me, surprised and impressed. "You know about the rumours?"

"Yeah." I shrugged before explaining it to Sam. "People believed the set was cursed. That they used real human bones as props. Three actors died during production."

Sam took in the information, seeming to think it could be a possibility. "Yeah, it might be something like that."

"All right, so this crew guy, what's his name?" Dean asked.

"Frank Jaffy," Sam answered.

"Frank Jaffy, you got a death certificate or corner's report or anything?"

"Well, no," Sam admitted. "But, uh, it's L.A., you know? Might not even be this real name. But the girl who found him, she said she saw something. A vanishing figure."

"What's the girl's name?"

"Tara Benchley," Sam and I both said at the same time, causing Dean to stop and turn to us.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Tara Benchley? From _Fear dotcom_ and _Ghost Ship_ , Tara Benchley?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes."

Dean lips turned up into a smile. "Dude, why didn't you say so?" He gave Sam a playful punch on the arm.

Sam scoffed, amused. "So now you're suddenly on-board?"

Wiping the smile of his face, Dean shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I'm just... I mean, I'm a fan of her work. It's very good."

"Whatever." Shaking my head I walked off in front of them, feeling annoyed for some reason.

**SPOV**

We walked into the busy studio and came to a stop at the sight before us. I'd never seen anything like it. People were moving around, working like ants, never stopping, always doing something. In the middle of the large space was a dark forest setting. I mean, it looked like an actually forest was in the middle of the building.

"Uh, excuse me, uh, green-shirt guy!" a man in a suit called, gesturing to Dean who turned to him. "Yeah, yeah, you, come here." As Dean listened, the man went on. "Could you get me a, uh, smoothie from craft?"

Dean paused. "You want a what from who?"

The man in the suit gave a short, unamused laugh. "You are a PA. This is what you do."

I could see Dean was in trouble, so without wasting another minute, Lizzie and I hurried over to save his ass before we got kicked out of the studio.

"Yeah, yeah, he, uh..." I shook my head, smiling at the man. "One smoothing coming right up." With that, I led Dean away as Lizzie followed.

"What's a PA?" Dean asked, voice low.

I shrugged. "I think they're kind of like slaves..."

...

After I'd searched the place for an EMF and come up with nothing, I'd gone looking for Lizzie. I found her walking around with a tray of smoothies, smiling at people as they came by to take one of the drinks from her.

She talked to each, looking so carefree and easy going. It was easy to forget she was a hunter. She was so charismatic, her personality drew people to her like a magnet.

Once the last person left her, I walked over. "Hey."

"Hey." Her smile widened as she turned to me. "Thank God. I am dying here. These people won't stop coming up to me. I haven't been able to do anything."

I gave a light chuckle. "It looked like you were enjoying yourself. You're a real people-person."

"Well, yes and no. I'm a people-person who loves to hunt and kill things that used to be people." She shrugged, taking the last smoothie as she placed the tray on a nearby table. "I'm just doing the job, Sam. Doing what I gotta do."

"Speaking of which... you know, how you're doing things... odd things."

Wrapping her lips around the straw in the smoothie, she drank and gestured for me to follow as she began to walk. "You wanna talk about it, don't you?" she asked around the straw. "About what happened at Madison's?"

"You threw Madison across the room... with your mind," I noted.

The whole thing had shocked me enough that I hadn't mentioned it right away. Or for a couple of days after. Then when I'd had time to think it over, we never had the chance to talk because we were never alone. This was the first time in days that Dean wasn't with us.

"You see the future, I move things with my mind. So what?" She was trying to act like it wasn't a big deal. But it was. It was a _very_ big deal.

I grabbed her shoulder, stopping and turning her around. "You really had no idea?"

"Nope."

"You never had the bad headaches before? It's only just started?"

"Come on, Sam." She gave me a knowing look. "We both know it's only just started. And we both know why. You were there. It wasn't you, but you were there."

She was right. I just didn't want to admit it out loud yet. I didn't want to turn it into words. I didn't want what she went through, be real, even though it was. Even though it was hanging her. Making her like me.

"Look, it's not your fault. We both know that. And anyway, it's not like I didn't already have the potential in me. The demon said it. They just lost me when I was young. I probably would have been triggered eventually."

Her words brought up another question I'd been wanting to ask. "Do you know _how_ they lost you? They mentioned the deal your mum made..."

"Yeah. I guess. I didn't at first, but I've been thinking about it, and I'm pretty sure I know what they mean."

When she didn't go on, I pressed. "And?"

"I died."

**EPOV**

Sam's face went white. "What?"

"It's no big deal. I know I'm over it." I shrugged, starting for the snack table.

He was right behind me. "You're over it? You're _over_ it?! How do you get over something like that? You died."

"Yeah, but only for a moment." I looked over my shoulder at him, seeing question in his eyes. Sighing, I stopped and turned to him. "I was four. My mum and I were driving, got in a car accident. I ended up in the hospital and before the night was over I was put in an induced coma. After two days, my body just gave up. The machines were the only things keeping me 'alive' but I was technically dead."

Recognition reached his eyes. "That's why your mum made the deal."

"Exactly. My mum wanted me to live a long and happy life. She wanted me to experience everything the world had to offer. So, in exchange for her soul, the demon was to bring me back. Completely healthy. No lasting injuries or complications from the accident."

Sam frowned. "So, how would that have hidden you from the demons?"

"My guess is, it's because I died. And maybe because of the deal. Maybe my soul is marked by it or something. I don't know." I shook my head, continuing on to the snack table.

"But your mum didn't die in a fire when you were a baby. Which means you're like the others," Sam noted.

I paused again and turned to him. "What did you just say?"

"That you're like the others?"

"No, about the fire."

"Oh, uh, there are a few of us. People like you and me. Four of us lost our mothers in a house fire that started in our nurseries when we were six months old," he explained, completely oblivious to the tension growing inside me. "That's how my mum died. That's why we became hunters. To find the demon who killed her, and kill it."

"A... a demon killed her? You're sure?"

"Yeah. Our dad saw it." He nodded. "It had yellow eyes." Suddenly he seemed to notice my discomfort. "Lizzie, you okay?"

"I... I don't feel too well. I'll, um- I'll see you and Dean later," I blurted before rushing off, feeling a mixture of emotions. Fear, confusing, and sorrow. My heart ached in ways it hadn't in years. In ways, I never thought it could or would again.

**DPOV**

I'd been standing by the snack table, watching Sam and Liz talking. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it had seemed like an important conversation. At first, I thought it was about the case, until I saw Liz's skin turn at least three shades lighter before she ran off, leaving the studio.

"What was that about?" I asked Sam as he came to stand by me.

He shook his head. "I don't know."

I looked over to the door where Liz had disappeared to, wondering if she'd want me to follow or if she wanted to be alone.

Deciding to play it safe and leave her be, I turned back to Sam, getting back to business. "I found no EMF anywhere. You?"

"Nothing," he sighed. "So, what are we thinking?"

"Well, I think being a PA sucks," I started. "But the food these people get, are you kidding me?" I lifted one of the mini burgers off a tray. "Look at these things. They're like miniature Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. Their delicious." I offered him it.

"Maybe later."

Shrugging, I at it instead. "What did you find out about the dead crew guy?" I asked, mouth full of food.

He watched me as if there was something on my face as he responded. "Uh, Frank Jaffy was just filling in for the day. Nobody here knew him or where he lived or anything."

"Oh, great. So, you found out as much as I did."

"No, not quite, I-"

Sam was cut off as a short man with glasses stepped between us, grabbing some food. "Hey, guys." He nodded. I was pretty sure his name was Walter, one of the other PAs.

Sam nodded back. "Hey."

"Oh, hey." I smiled as he grabbed a mini burger and headed off. "They're wonderful!" I called after him.

Sam got back to it once we were alone. "Listen, I did dig up some stuff about Stage 9's history. Four people died messy here over the past eighty years. Two suicides and two fatal accidents."

"Any of those could be a vengeful spirit." I noted.

"Yeah. Just gotta narrow it down more."

I was about to respond but was stopped when I spotted Tara Benchley. "I'll get right on that." I told Sam absent mindedly before walking towards Tara. On my way I stole some papers from a woman walking by. Slowing down, I smiled nervously at Tara. "Are you supposed to get one of these? I don't really know what I'm doing so..."

She looked up at me, confused at first, until she smiled widely at me. "First day?"

"Yeah, my big break." I nodded, causing her to give a little laugh. "You know, I know it's really uncool to say this, but I'm a big fan. I loved you in Boogeyman."

She looked away, still smiling but now a little embarrassed. "Oh, God. What a terrible script," she laughed. "Uh, but thank you."

"Yeah." I couldn't wipe the smile of my face. Turning to leave, I paused, knowing the next question I asked was for the case and was a risky one. "You found him, right, the... the dead guy?" Both our smiles fell then. "I'm sorry, you probably don't even wanna talk about this." This time when I turned to leave, I was really going to go.

But she stopped me. "No actually it's... it's okay, but nobody around here really brings it up very much. I think they're all scared I'm gonna have some kind of breakdown."

"That must have been awful... what happened?"

Her voice was softer as she spoke. "It was horrible. There... there was all this blood coming from his eyes, and from his mouth, and, uh... I saw this, um..." She stopped herself, smiling with embarrassment again.

"What?" I pressed gently.

Sighing, she looked to me again, letting it out. "I saw this shape. To tell you the truth, I don't know actually, what I saw. I just know I saw it."

"Here you go, Tara." Walter stepped towards us, handing Tara a drink.

"Thanks, Walter." She smiled at him as he walked off.

Once he was gone, I spoke again. "Uh, so this crew guy, Frank. I mean, did you know him?"

"Uh, no. Not that well."

"That's funny. It's like no one around here actually knew the guy."

"I've got his picture." She shrugged.

That was a surprise. "You do?"

"Yeah, I like to take Polaroid's of all the crew." She smiled, reaching down to grab a book next to her seat. "It's just one of those things you do to kill time on set." She explained as she looked through the pictures. "Uh, right there."

I stepped closer to her, looking down at the picture she was pointing to. It took only a second or two to recognize the face. "Son of a bitch..."

**EPOV**

I stood next to Dean in the studio as we watched the actors play out a scene- at a safe distance so we could speak. He and Sam had just come back from speaking with Gerand St. James, and actor whose most recent role was the one and only, 'Frank Jaffy'.

"So, you're telling me that the producers of the movie hired an actor to come in for the day to play this Frank guy, just so they could kill him off to make everyone think the studio is haunted?"

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

"So, what? We're done with the case?"

"Well, yeah." He shrugged. "But you said-"

"I know what I said, Dean." I smiled up at him. "You'll have your fun. I promise."

"Well, that means we need to find Sam. Speaking of which..." He turned to face me completely then. "You wanna tell me what you and Sam were talking about earlier? Why you ran off?"

 _No_.

There was no way I was going to tell Dean anything. There was too much to say and I had no idea where to start. Plus, I had no idea how he would react to the news. Besides, Sam already knew too much. There were too many things he knew about me, and too many things he could figure out.

My past was my past. As much as I trusted the brothers, no one knew the whole truth. Not even Bobby, Jo or Ellen knew the early troubles of my life. No one knew what had happened to my father. Everyone just assumed he was either dead or just gone.

"We were just talking about my migraines and stuff. He's worried I might be over working myself and might get sick again," I lied.

There was a look in his eyes, like he didn't believe me, but he didn't question me. He didn't say anything actually. We just turned back to watch the actors.

A moment or two later, there was a loud crashing nose as something fell through the roof of the cabin the actors were in. People screamed and yelled as they looked at the thing that fell through.

Hanging there from the roof was the man who'd ordered Dean to get him a smoothie when we'd got here. A rope around his now broken neck.

My eyes watched the body swing. "So... I guess there might be a case after all."

**DPOV**

Standing off to the side, I watched as the actors played out the same scene from yesterday. The studio had shut down after the suit guy died, but now we were back in business. Which seemed odd to me. I thought for sure they'd give everyone a break to relax after, you know, witnessing a guy die.

"Can we... can we cut or something?" Tara asked, breaking character.

"Uh, uh, yeah, cut. Cut!" the director, McG, called.

"That's a cut!" I yelled.

McG turned to the woman next to him. "Only I can say 'cut'," he told her before moving over to Tara. "Hey, what's up?"

Tara sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little upset."

"Well, with everything that's been going on around here, who can blame you, huh?"

"I just can't wrap my head around the dialogue. You know, salt? Doesn't that sound silly? I mean, why would a ghost be afraid of salt?"

"Okay, um... Martin." McG turned to the writer. "What do you think?"

"I'm not married to salt. What do you want? We still sticking with condiments?"

"Mm... Just sounds different. Not better." McG noted. "What else would a ghost be scared of?"

"Uh, you gotta be kidding me." Walter the PA mumbled, a few steps ahead of me.

"Maybe, uh... maybe shotguns?" Martin offered.

McG went to agree before shaking his head. "Okay, that makes even less sense than salt."

Walter groaned, turning and walking away from the set. "These people are idiots," he muttered as he passed me.

I was about to say something when I noticed the actor that played Mitch, was now talking to Liz. More like flirting with her.

**SPOV**

"How's it going here?" I asked, coming to stand next to Dean.

He didn't turn to me, instead he turned his attention to Tara. "It's going good. Tara's stepped up her performance. I think it's probably from all the sense memory she's drawing on."

"Sense memory?"

"Yeah."

"Dean, you know when I ask how it's going here, I'm talking about the case, right? We don't really work here. You know, I thought you hated being a PA," I reminded him.

He looked down at all the PA gear he was wearing. "I don't know. It's not so bad. I kinda feel like part of the team, you know." He smiled up at me. "It's good."

Rolling my eyes, I got back to the reason why we were here. "Listen, I conned my way into the morgue."

"And?"

"News reports are right. Brad's a doornail, no question."

He looked away for a moment. "Copy that," he said and then turned back to me. "Sorry, what?"

 _Huh?_ "Copy that?"

He didn't explain though, just wanted me to repeat myself. "What'd you say?"

"The news reports are right. Brad's a door-"

Before I could finish he spoke again. "They're aware."

He was confusing the hell out of me. "Who's aware?"

"Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "Uh... the newspaper's right. Brad's a doornail, no question about it."

"I guess it's a good thing we didn't skip town," he noted. "Oh, come here. I want you to hear something." He gestured for me to follow as he spoke again. "Copy that. On my way."

We walked over to the sound equipment, Lizzie catching up to us as before we reached it. She didn't look up at me. In fact, she hadn't spoken or even looked at me since the talk we'd had before.

"Hey, Dave, can you play him that thing you were playing me earlier?" Dean asked the sound guy.

"Sure." The sound guy nodded, handing me a headset. As I took it, he smiled at Lizzie. "Hi, Elizabeth." I swear, he blushed.

She smiled back at him. "Hi, Dave."

Ignoring them, I listened as Dave played a recording through the headphones. The voice of the character Mitch was speaking.

" _Doesn't matter, we're not leaving till we-_ " He was cut off as the audio crackled.

I looked up at Dean and Lizzie, both of them giving me a knowing look.

**Bamby**


	25. One Hell of a PA

**EPOV**

I walked with Sam and Dean, our voices low so no one would hear us.

"E.V.P," Sam noted.

"From the night of Brad's stage dive," Dean told him. "All of a sudden, I'm getting electromagnetic reading up the wazoo. For some reason, it's a legit haunting now."

"Who's the ghost? What's it want?" Sam asked.

I grinned. "That's where I come in."

...

Now out of the studio, I lead the guys to one of the trailers. One inside, I moved to the coffee table and grabbed a DVD before putting it into the player and moved to sit on the couch. While Sam and Dean stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, looking around

"Whose trailer is this?"

I shrugged at Dean. "Tony, the guy who plays Mitch. We were hanging out yesterday. Told me I could come here whenever I wanted a little break."

Dean rolled his eyes, coming to sit next to me. "Bet he did."

Sam came to sit on my other side. "Where'd you get the DVD?"

"They're called dailies. Dave got them for me," I explained. "Tony won't be back for a while, but let's hurry this up, shall we?" Pressing the fast forward button on the remote, I watched the TV and paused once the guy fell through the roof. "Here we go." Rewinding it a little, I pressed play.

We watched the screen carefully, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. Nothing seemed different at first, until both Sam and I sat forward, noticing something.

I re-wound a little, pausing on the figure that shouldn't have been there. "I don't know about you two, but I have never seen that woman on set."

She was pale, almost like she was in black and white. Dressed in a long robe with her dark hair up and out of her face.

"I've seen her before."

I looked to Sam, surprised and confused. "Really? Around set?"

"No." He shook his head and stood up, leaving the trailer suddenly.

Dean shrugged. "I gotta get back to work. Call me when he finds something." He gestured to his headset as he stood up and left as well.

**SPOV**

I wasn't too sure where Lizzie was, so it was just Dean and I going through everything I'd found. Actually, it was more just me going through it while Dean ate food in front of me.

"Here, check this out." I handed him an article.

Instead of taking the paper, he turned on his radio as he spoke into is. "Yeah, go for Ozzy." He grinned.

" _You have eyes on Tara?_ "

"No, I don't have a 20 on Tara. I think she's 10-100."

" _Copy that. Send her my way._ "

"Okay, copy that." He nodded, putting the radio down and turning to me again. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Shaking my head, I offered him the paper again. "Elise Drummond. Starlet back in the '30s. Had an affair with the studio exec. He uses her up, fires her, leaves her destitute. So, Elise hangs herself from Stage 9's rafters right into a scene they're shooting."

"Just like out man. So what, she's got it i for the studio brass?"

"Possibly." I shrugged. "I mean, it's a motive, and the guy's death matches hers exactly."

He sighed. "We're digging tonight, aren't we?"

**EPOV**

"Which way?" Sam asked Dean, who was hold the map of the celebrity graveyard.

"Uh, over here." Dean gestured for us to follow. "This map is totally worth the five bucks." he chuckled as he looked to a few of the graves. "Hey, we gotta go check out Johnny Ramone's grave when we're done here."

Sam scoffed. "You wanna dig him up, too?"

Dean turned to him, offended. "Bit your tongue, heathen."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Okay, boys. Can we just get this done?" Snatching the map from Dean, I searched for the grave we were looking for before taking lead, finding it in a matter of moments. "Found her."

"I don't get it." Sam started as he began to dig. "Why now? I mean, after seventy-five years, Elise Drummond suddenly goes homicidal. Why this movie?"

"Well, maybe she's mad they're making a scary ghost flick." Dean suggested as he began to dig with his brother.

Sam paused. "Come on, is it really that scary?"

"Nope." I answered in a heartbeat. "It sucks. And so does digging up graves. But here we are." I sighed as I started to dig as well, wanting to get this over and done with as soon as possible.

**DPOV**

There was blood and bits and pieces of a dead guy all over a screen and the floor in the studio. Apparently one of the producers had stayed late last night and somehow ended up getting caught in one of the industrial fans.

Sam, Liz and I knew the truth though. Even after salting and burning the bones last night, the same or another ghost had killed again.

"Run-in with a giant fan. Same thing happened to an electrician back in '66. Guy named Billy Beard." Sam explained.

"What the hell, dude?" I turned away from the scene.

Liz sighed. "Is it just me or does this feel like a completely different murder. Elise wouldn't have done this. It's not her m.o."

"So, we're dealing with another ghost?" I shook my head. "These things don't usually tag team."

"Everybody, gather around, okay?" McG called. "Got an announcement to make. Everyone, huddle in." he waited as we all gathered. "In light of Jay's accident last night, and in cooperation with the authorities, we're shutting down production for a few days."

The crowd began to murmur and sigh in disappointment.

McG nodded. "I know, I know. Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, we've had a few setbacks this week. But we all know what Jay and Brad wanted more than anything... and that was to see _Hell Hazers II: The Reckoning_ on screens all across America." He smiled as everyone nodded. "Now, we owe it to them to go on and to pull together and make this damn movie, huh?"

Everyone clapped and cheered.

As they got a bit louder, McG spoke over everyone. "But not... not today. Go home. Someone will call you."

Everyone began to walk off, moving to leave. Sam, Liz and I stayed where we were, watching as everyone else began to leave.

"Uh, Elizabeth." We turned to see one of the actors heading our way. It was the guy that played Mitch.

Liz smiled at him. "Hey, Tony."

He gave her a charming grin as he stopped in front of her, ignoring both Sam and me. "So, I was wondering. Seeing as we've got some time off, you wanna go out?"

Jealousy flared up inside me. I had no idea where it was coming from or why I was feeling it, but I was. Liz and I had sex here and there, sure, but that didn't mean we were anything other than friends with benefits. That's all either of us wanted. So why did I want to beat this guy into the ground?

"Oh, I'm so sorry..." She looked up at him with apologetic eyes. "I'd love to, I really would. But I'm actually busy. With my friends." She gestured to Sam and me.

The guy looked to each of us, stopping at me. Instinctively, I stood taller, staring him down. It wasn't like I was trying to intimidate the guy and scare him off, I just... I didn't want a douche bag like him trying to get with Liz. She could do so much better.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around then?" He shrugged.

"Yeah. Sure." She smiled as he walked off.

Once the guy was gone, Sam spoke up. "You know, you could have gone."

"Are you kidding me?" She laughed, turning to us. "He leaves and we don't have to worry about him finding us working in his trailer." She grinned. "The guys cute and all, but I'm not interested."

"You're not?" Sam sounded as surprised as I felt.

"He's a movie star. I'm just another chick he wants to get with. Not exactly a turn on." She shrugged, walking off.

**EPOV**

I sat on the couch next to Dean, leaning against him absentmindedly, my thigh resting against his. We were watching scenes from the movie, looking for any more signs of a haunting. He lifted his arm, stretching before placing it behind my shoulders.

Smiling, I turned to look up at him. "Smooth, Winchester."

He grinned. "I just thought... we're alone." He shrugged as he slowly began to lean forward, his eyes looking down at my lips.

When Tony had asked me if I wanted to go out with him, to tell you the truth I wanted to say yes. Why? Well, because I knew what Dean and I were doing was changing. Neither of us had slept with anyone else since the case with Madison. We flirted with others, sure, but nothing came from it.

I liked Dean, that wasn't news to me. I'd liked him from the get go. But that did not mean we were going to suddenly become anything other than what we were. If we were going to change, then the only direction we were going would be backwards. We were either casual or nothing. Just being friends would be good enough for me.

Which is exactly why I pulled away before he could kiss me.

"I think you should... I think you should hook up with someone," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

"What?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "Tara likes you. She's asked me about you. Thought we were dating. Maybe you could talk to her some more, see where things lead?"

"Okay..." he sounded a little unsure and confused. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Looking up at him then, I gave him a reassuring smile. "Just been thinking about the rules. We're not an item, Dean. There's no reason why you shouldn't be hooking up with anyone."

"Then why'd you say no to Tony?"

"The case," I lied. "I wanna focus on the case."

He opened his mouth to speak probably to call my bullshit. But before he could utter a word, the door to the trailer opened as Sam walked in.

"Hey." He nodded to me and his brother.

"Hey." Dean nodded back, leaning into the couch again. "So you find out where the electrician's buried?"

"He wasn't," Sam sighed, taking a seat on my other side. "Billy Beard was cremated."

"Great." Dean shook his head, frustrated. "Now what?"

"No idea." Sam shrugged. "Any more ghosts show up in the clips?" he asked, gesturing to the TV.

"Not in the first six hours," I noted, sitting up to stretch.

"You know, maybe the spirits are trying to shut down the movie because they think it sucks," Sam suggested. "Because, I mean, it kinda does."

I gave a little laugh and went to respond, but Tara had begun to speak in the scene then, her words catching my attention. "Guys... you hear that?"

Sam looked to the screen, listening to Tara as she read an incantation. "That's the real deal. A necromantic summoning ritual. What the hell is that doing in a Hollywood movie?"

**SPOV**

Dean and I knocked on Martin- the writer's- door.

He turned to us, confused. "Guys, we're all shut down. What are you still doing here?"

"Yeah, um, just..." We stepped into his office as I spoke. "Sorry, man. We... we... we couldn't help ourselves. We just had to tell you that we read the script."

Martin smiled as he sat down on the edge of his desk. "And?"

"Yeah. It's, uh... it's awesome."

"Awesome." Dean agreed.

"Really awesome." I added.

Martin's face lit up. "I know, it's pretty rocking, right? I'm glad you guys liked it."

I nodded. "Yeah, I really liked, uh, all the attention to detail."

"Dude, right on, that's my thing. I mean, you know, colour me guilty, but that is me. I mean, I'm a total detail buff."

"No, I can tell. The way you worked in all those Enochian summoning rituals and all the authentic language, and-"

Martin cut me off, confused. "What, you mean that Latin crap? No, man. That's Walter. Walter Dixon, the original writer. You like that garbage?"

"Wait, Walter the PA, Walter?" Dean asked.

"No, he's not a PA. He's got a clause in his contract that allows him to come on set," Mart explained.

Dean shrugged. "But he wrote the invocations?"

"He wrote a whack-job screenplay. There's no pace, no love interest, it's all wack-a-doo exposition. I had to cut like, ninety percent of it to make it readable. Another ten percent to make it good."

**DPOV**

"They should've kept Walter's script. It's actually pretty decent," Liz noted as she read the script on the couch.

"Yeah," Sam sighed, dropping the script he'd been reading onto the coffee table. "And it reads like a how-to manual of conjuration. Like a textbook on how to summon ghosts and get them to do whatever you want."

"Like kill people," I noted.

"Yep." Sam shook his head. "So, let's say somewhere down the line Walter learned some pretty Black Magic."

I nodded, dropping my own script. "Yeah, and let's say he's pissed at these people for wrecking his movie."

"That sounds like motive and means to me, boys." Liz placed her script on to her lap. "So, where's Walter, and who's next?"

...

As the three of us entered the studio, we heard what sounded like Martin scream. Without looking at each other, we all ran in the direction where the sound had come from, knowing that we didn't have time to come up with a plan. We just had to act. Luckily, I'd grabbed one of the guns from the car, just in case something like this was going to go down.

We came around the corner to see Martin being dragged along the ground by a guy whose face was shredded up on one side. It was the dead janitor, and he was pulling Martin right towards a highspeed fan.

"Walter, please!" Martin yelled. "Walter, help me!" he screamed.

I lifted my gun as I came to a stop, and shot the ghost, sending it away. Sam hurried over to turn the fan off as Liz and I helped Martin to his feet.

"You are one hell of a PA," he told me.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I know."

Walter began to back up. "What are you doing?"

"Could ask you the same thing, alter." Sam started for Walter who was hurrying up some stairs he'd been standing by. "Raising these spirits from the dead, making them murder for you, that's playing with fire, Walter."

Walter paused and turned to him. "You don't understand."

"You're right. We don't. But I also don't care," Liz called to him. "Whatever it is, doesn't justify murder."

"You put your heart and soul into something. Years of hard work. _Years_. And then they take it and they crap all over it!" He gestured to Martin.

I looked to Martin, who just shook his head, clearly in denial. The movie was pretty crap.

Walter went on. "And then... and then they want you to smile and say thank you."

"Listen, it's just a movie. That's it." Sam tried reasoning with him.

Walter sighed. "Look, I got nothing against you, man. You're not part of this. Just please, please, just leave. But Martin's gotta stay."

"Sorry, can't do that," I called to him. "I mean, it's not that we like him or anything, it's just a matter of principle."

"Then I'm sorry too." Martin raised something that looked like a dreamcatcher from where I stood.

"Walter... Walter, don't," Sam warned.

But Walter didn't listen. No, instead he began to chant, in Latin. When he finished, the place began to shake. _This isn't going to be good..._

Screams and whispers surrounded us before three ghosts appeared to my right.

"Sam! Liz!" I yelled, raising my gun to the spirits as they began to walk towards Martin and myself. "Son of a… come on, come on."

Then they were gone. They just disappeared.

Liz came to stand next to me, looking around for the ghosts. "Shit."

"That's not a good thing?" Martin asked her.

She shook her head. "No, it's really not."

Suddenly Sam was pushed away as something grunted close by.

"Get Martin!" I told Liz as I hurried to my brother and helped him back up. "Come on, come on, move!"

We ran though the set, making our way to the fake cabin, knowing the ghosts were right behind us. Once we were in, Sam closed the door behind us, pressing his back to is. I started to refill my gun, knowing i wouldn't have time later.

"'Come to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs'," I muttered, annoyed.

"You really think now's an appropriate time to quote Die Hard?" Liz asked me, slightly out of breath.

I gave myself a moment to look up at her, amazed. How did show know where the quote was from? It was just another thing that made her cooler.

As I looked away, I found myself looking right through the space where a wall should have been if we were in a real cabin. But we weren't... which meant the ghosts could walk right in. They may already have.

"Oh, man," I groaned, turning to aim my gun at the open space.

Martin shook his head, hiding behind Liz. "I can't believe these ghosts are real."

"What makes you say that?" I asked sarcastically.

"But I don't understand... how is Walter controlling them?" Martin had a good point there.

"Probably that talisman," Sam suggested before pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Martin looked at him like he was an idiot. "What are you doing?"

"I mean, if film cameras pick these suckers up, then... maybe, uh..." Sam lifted his phone, scanning the room. "Dean, right there!" He gestured in front of me.

I turned and took a shot without blinking.

"Got him." He nodded as he kept looking. "Hey, right there!"

Again, I shot where he was pointing.

Liz looked up where she could see Walter running on the next level. "I'm gonna go after him."

"Liz-"

She cut me off. "I'll be fine." With that, she was gone.

"Here, you get the idea?" Sam handed Martin the phone as Martin nodded. "Good, I'm gonna help Lizzie. Hold the ghosts off," he told us before running out of the set.

**EPOV**

Sam had caught up to me. The two of us ran faster than Walter, so it was easy to cut him off. As he ran out the door of the studio, he came to a sudden stop, seeing us block his path.

Sam shook his head at him. "It's over, Walter. Now, give it to us."

Instead, Walter threw the talisman to the ground. I lifted my hand, trying to will it to me, but it was too late. The talisman hit the ground hard, breaking into pieces.

"There, okay, now no one can have it." Walter had no idea what he just did...

Sam tensed. "I wouldn't have done that if I were you."

"Oh, yeah?"

I nodded at Walter. "Yeah."

"And why not?"

"You made the spirits kill for you, you idiot," I answered. Maybe I was too harsh, maybe I wasn't. But at that moment, I didn't care. "And you just let them go."

Sam shook his head. "We can't stop them now," he noted as Dean and Martin rushed through the door Walter had come from. "You brought them back, forced them to murder... they're not gonna be very happy with you."

Walter started backing up from us, still not getting it. "Yeah, so why not?"

There was a loud screeching, a yell, and then Walter screamed as he was pushed to the ground. His cried and screamed, his body shaking as the invisible ghosts attacked him, blood pooling on the ground where he lay.

...

I leaned against the studio building as Tony stood in front of me, his lips pressed against mine in a heated kiss. One hand placed on the wall by my head, the other resting on my hip as my own hands held his jacket.

He pulled back, smiling down at me. "You really should think about changing careers. You'd make one hell of an actress. Even a model," he noted, looking me up and down.

"Thanks, but I'm happy with the job I've got." Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to his lips again.

He got the message, coming back down to deepen the kiss once more.

It's not that I did or didn't like the guy. Like I said before, I wanted to say yes to him when he asked me out. I hadn't because of Dean.

But after talking to Dean, and thinking about everything, I knew I was right. I needed to get back out there. I needed to get back to normal. Being with one guy was not my thing. In saying that though, I wasn't going to stop being with Dean, we were just going to have to slow down for a while.

The sound of someone clearing their throat had Tony and I pull away to look over, seeing Sam standing a few feet away, waiting patiently.

"I, uh... I gotta go," I told Tony, pushing off the wall as I stepped away from him.

He watched as I started to back up. "Will I see you around?"

"You never know." I grinned at him before turning around and walking over to Sam. "Ready?"

He looked form me to Tony, trying not to laugh. "Are you?"

I gave a short shrug. "What, can't a girl have some fun?"

A light laugh escaped his lips then as he turned to walk along the path with me right beside him. We didn't talk, but I did notice that the tension between us had eased a little. We both knew we weren't done talking about what was happening, but for now, Sam was willing to give it a rest.

Nearing Tara's trailer, we couldn't ignore it's shaking. As we were about to walk past it stopped and a moment later the door opened.

Dean stepped out, a wide grin on his face as he adjusted the collar of his jacket. He looked up at the door where Tara stood in nothing but a robe.

"You're one hell of a PA." She smiled at him.

"Thank you."

I chuckled lightly, feeling slightly surprised that I wasn't jealous. "See ya later, Tara." I nodded to her, grabbing Dean's arm as we started down the path again, heading for the exit.

Dean couldn't wipe the grin off his face. "God, I love this town."

**Bamby**


	26. Blood is the New Black

**DPOV**

The bus doors opened. Chains around our wrists and ankles, Sam and I stepped out of the bus and on to the dirty road as we followed the guy ahead of us. A sign welcomed us as we walked through some gates. Green Rivers County Detention Centre. It's a long story. The short version is, Sam and I got caught on purpose so we could get into the prison in order to do a case as a favour to one of dad's old friend. Oh, and don't worry. It may be a men's prison, but Liz was here too.

Walking along the path, we were only separated from the yard full of inmates by a simple chain link fence.

"You're mine, baby!"

"Looking good, move it along!"

"Don't worry, Sam, I promise I won't trade you for smokes." I grinned.

...

I stepped into my cell after once my cell mate was in and away from the doorway. "I call top bunk."

He just scoffed, dumping his things on the top bed.

Turning, I caught sight of Sam in the cell across from mine. His face said it all. He was clearly hating this more than I was. But it was a job, and someone had to do it.

...

"My roommate doesn't say much, how's yours?" I asked Sam, voice low, as we waited in live to be sent to the cafeteria.

"He just keeps staring at me, in a way that makes me really uneasy," he answered, voice low as well.

"It sounds like you're making new friends," I joked.

"Dean... this is, without a doubt, the dumbest, craziest thing we've ever done. And that's in a long, storied career of dumb and crazy."

"Calm down. It's all part of the plan."

"Oh, really?" he scoffed. "So Henriksen showing up was part of the plan?"

I forgot to mention that... Agent Henriksen- the FBI guy from Milwaukee- showed up after we were arrested. Now, if we didn't break out of here in time, we were going to be sent to a maximum-security prison, with a lengthy list of charges behind us including murder. That part, wasn't part of the plan.

"Yeah, that guy moves a little faster than I thought," I admitted. "Look, all we gotta do it find this ghost, put the sucker down, then grab ourselves a couple of teardrop tattoos."

"That's no funny. Dean, what about this escape plan? It-"

"It's a hundred percent sure thing. I wouldn't have gone in if it wasn't. I mean, come on, man, this place has all the signs of a haunting. Innocent people are dead. Four so far."

"Yeah, innocent."

"You from Texas all of a sudden? Just because people are in jail doesn't mean they deserve to die. If we don't stop this thing, people are gonna continue to die. We do the job wherever it takes us."

"Look, Dean, just be straight with me, all right? You're doing this for Deacon."

"Damn right."

"Well, you barely even know the guy."

"We know he was in the corps with dad. He saved dad's life. We owe him."

"What about Lizzie? Bringing her into this? She doesn't owe him."

"It was her choice. We told her she could wait at Bobby's. But she chose to take on the case as well. We had no say in the matter."

"Yeah, all right. But still. Don't you think Deacon's asking a little much?"

"Doesn't matter. We may not be saints, but we're loyal and we pay our debts. Now, that means something to me and it ought to you. I'm not thrilled about this either, but Deacon asked us to hunt this thing down and that's exactly what we're gonna do."

**SPOV**

Sitting at a table in the cafeteria with Dean, I brought the pasta to my nose and gave it a smell. It did not smell right. I hardly looked like food.

"You know, this chicken ain't half bad." Dean was practically devouring his food.

"Great. Finish mine." I pushed my food closer to him. "All right, so let's go back over this, Dean. Spirit suspect number one is Mark Moody, right?"

He nodded, taking my chicken. "Yeah. Psycho-killer extraordinaire. Satanism. Ritual murder. Died in jail."

"Are you sure it's him?"

"Pretty sure."

"Dean, considering our circumstances, I'm gonna need a little bit better than pretty sure."

"Really pretty sure," he offered, which didn't help at all. "Moody died of a heart attack, which is what the victims in here are dying of. Okay, he died in the old cell-block, which they closed after he croaked, thirty years ago. They just opened that back up, that's when the killings started."

"So, you think his spirit was released somehow?"

"Mm-hm."

"But what if he was already cremated?"

"I'm guessing there's something in the old block that belongs to him keeping him around. Whatever it is, we gotta find it, and you know the rest. I'm done." He put his plastic knife and fork down and stood up to leave.

I got up as well, moving to follow him. I hadn't been looking where I was going though, and ended up bumping into another inmate.

"Sorry, I-"

He cut me off. "Watch where you're going."

I gave a sharp nod. "Yeah, sure, I just-"

Dean cut me off this time as he came to stand in front of me. "He said he was sorry."

"Dean..."

The inmate stepped up to him. "You talking to me? Are you talking to me?"

"Great, another guy who's seen _Taxi Driver_ one too many times," Dean muttered. "Yeah, I'm talking to you. Trust me. Let it go."

The guy turned and walked away.

"Dean, come on."

He turned to me, a grin on his face. "See, that's how you gotta talk to these guys. Instant respect."

I watched the inmate over his shoulder, seeing him talking to another guy, who then stood, the two of them starting towards Dean and me. "You were saying?" I gestured behind Dean.

He looked over to them. "Oh, great."

The guy from before throw the first punch, which Dean dodged.

Dean grabbed the guy's arm to stop him. "We can end this right now. No harm, no foul."

The guy threw Dean back and went to elbow him in the face, but Dean stepped out of the way and grabbed the guy from behind, shoving him against a wall. The guy stepped down on Dean's foot hard, making Dean let him go. Turning around he want to throw a punch but Dean kicked him in the balls before he could and then punched him in the face, sending the guy to the ground.

"That's enough!" A voice rang out as guard pushed through the crowd. "On your feet, Lucas." The guard that had spoken before looked down at the guy on the ground.

"Yes, sir, boss." The inmate stood back up.

The guard stepped up to Dean, resting the end of his baton against my brother's chin, pushing his head up. "What's your name?"

"Winchester."

"Well, Winchester, not a good start." He lowered the baton. "Solitary. You too, Lucas."

I could do nothing as a guard grabbed Dean's arms from behind, pushing them along. This was not good. But as they passed me, they looked up and I felt myself relax a little. The uniform wasn't like her jeans and leather jacket, plus her hair was in a tight bun and the hat had hidden her face... but Lizzie made a pretty convincing guard.

**DPOV**

"I wish I had a baseball," I called out, sitting in my room in the solitary wing.

"What?" Lucas called back. "What did you say?"

"I said I wish I had a baseball." I moved so I could look at him through the hole in my door. "You know, like Steve McQueen."

"Yeah. Well, I wish I had a bat, so I could bash your fricking head in."

"Okay..." I moved back to where I'd been. "Well, so much for the bonding-in-solitary moment."

We both fell silent for about a minute when the light began to flicker and the temperature in the air dropped so low I could see my breath as I exhaled.

"Oh, crap." Moving to the door again, I looked out at the clock, seeing it stop. "Lucas, listen to me. Stay very still."

He didn't respond though, and I hoped he was actually going to listen. But it wasn't long before I heard him groaning and then scream...

**SPOV**

Mopping the floors of the bathroom, I found the eerie silence was getting to me. Usually I didn't mind things being quiet, but I already didn't trust this place, the fact there was little to no noise, just made it that much worse.

So I turned to the other guy who was mopping, an older man. "How you doing?"

"I'm fifty-four years old, mopping the floor of a crapper with bars on the windows. How you think I'm doing?"

"All right. Bad ice-breaker," I admitted, getting back to work. "I'm Sam."

"Randall."

"Nice to meet-" I cut myself short as I turned to him again. "Randall? Hey, weren't you there the night that guard died?"

"Yeah."

"Well, what happened?"

"They say the stress of the job got him?"

"Yeah? What do you say?"

He stopped working and turned to me then. "Why are you inside, kid?"

"'Cause I got an idiot for a brother."

"That'll do it." He nodded, mopping again.

"Yeah." I sighed.

"Well, this place ain't so bad. Compared to the old cell-block, this is the damn Hilton."

"You spent time in the old block?"

"Oh, yeah, I was a regular customer."

"Didn't they have Mark Moody over there for a while?"

"He was there. And I was there too, the night that lunatic brought it."

"Yeah. It was a heart attack, right?"

"Sure, his heart stopped right after the guards stopped using his head for batting practice. Next morning, I was in his cell mopping up the blood. What a mess."

"Wait, so he was beaten and nobody reported it?"

"Yeah, you kept your mouth shut unless you wanted to die from the same heart attack."

"Randall... exactly how much blood was there?"

**DPOV**

I placed an ace down on the table. "Call."

The inmate in front of me showed his cars, revealing a jack and an ace. "Three aces." He smirked as he started collecting the smokes.

"That's a bad beat. That is a bad beat, but see, I'm full." I showed him my cards. "Threes over aces."

He pounded his fist on the table, standing up.

I just chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry. Hey, it's a cruel game, my friend." I shrugged. He just threw the smokes back on the table and walked off. "It's like picking low-hanging fruit." I grinned as Sam sat across from me now.

"You don't even smoke," he noted.

"You kidding? This is the currency of the realm."

The sound of whistling and cat calling had both of us looking behind Sam to see Liz walk into the yard with another guard- this one male. The inmates were all looking her up and down. The way they were staring, it was like she was a piece of meat.

But she just ignored them. Actually, she looked in our direction, her eyes meeting mine.

_God..._

She looked good in uniform. The way she'd pushed me around before. I knew the rules, I knew we weren't going to be anything more than what we were now. But times like this, I wished she was all mine.

"Look, I got a good lead on Moody," Sam noted, turning back to me.

I pulled my attention away from Liz, nodded at my brother. "Yeah, me too. His spirit paid a little visit last night?"

"What?"

"Clock-stop, flickering lights, cold spot. I mean, he did everything but yell, 'Boo'."

"What happened?"

"He walked right by me." I shrugged. "Lucas wasn't so lucky. I mean, the way he was screaming... the guy was a jerk, but he didn't deserve to go like that." I shook my head. "What did you find out on Moody?"

"Yeah, so I think I know where we might find his remains. Blood in his old cell."

"Blood? I thought it was a heart attack."

"It was. After the guards worked him over. I mean, apparently there was so much blood, they had trouble mopping it out."

"How we gonna get in?"

"I got a plan."

I grinned. "That's the Sammy I know. Come on, man. You're like Clint Eastwood from _Escape from Alcatraz_."

"The problem is, even if we find something, how are we gonna burn it? We don't have any accelerant."

"It's a good thing I'm like James Garner from _The Great Escape_." I stood up, grabbing some of the smokes from my pile. "Hey, fellas, who's ready to deal?"

...

"You sure about this?" I asked Sam as we moved down the line, getting some food.

He nodded. "Pretty sure."

That was not good enough for me. "Yeah, well, considering the circumstances, I'd like a little better than pretty sure."

"Okay, really pretty sure." He shrugged, walking off with his food.

I rolled my eyes, coming to the end of the lunch line. "I'd like mine al dente." I nodded to the lunch guy. He just dumped some noodles on my tray with a spoon full of thick sauce on top. "Perfect..." Turning away from the line I made my way over to Tiny- Lucas's friend from earlier. "Save room for dessert, Tiny." I chuckled, taking a seat. "Hey, I wanted to ask you, because I couldn't help but notice you are two tons of fun. Just curious, is that like a thyroid problem or is that some deep-seated self-esteem issue? Because, you know, they're, uh, just doughnuts. They're not love." I grinned.

He gave a light and short laugh, nodding. Then he pushed his tray out of the way and punched me in the face before I could react.

I fell back, on to the floor. It too a second or two, but I got back up and turned to see him now standing, waiting. I threw a punch, landing it right on his cheek, but it hardly did anything. I tried again and again, but all I did was piss him off.

He grabbed my orange jumpsuit, ready to hit me. I moved before he could, slamming my head into his. We both stumbled back.

A guard hurried over to restrain Tiny, but he just threw the little guy off and onto our table with a yell. Then he turned back to me, punching my face again, and grabbing me, squeezing all the air out of my chest.

"Get him off!" I recognised the voice as the head guard from earlier.

Liz came to stand in front of me and grabbed Tiny's arm, pulling it from me as other guards pulled at other parts of him trying to make him let me go. One of the guards had to hit Tiny with their baton, which had him drop me to the ground.

Liz was right there, pulling me to my feet.

The head guard stepped up, grabbing my face. "If we waited any longer, you'd be dead."

"You waited long enough," I told him, voice shaking.

The guard hit me in the gut with his baton. I leaned forward, grabbing my stomach as he spoke in my ear. "Do yourself a favour. Don't talk." Standing up, he looked to Liz behind me. "Take them both up to the infirmary."

"Yes, sir." She nodded before pulling me up so I was standing straight. "You heard him, move!" She shoved me forward.

I groaned, doing as I was told as a couple of other guards led Tiny to the infirmary, a few steps ahead of us.

**SPOV**

I jumped out of the vents and into the old block storage room. Dean was a distraction so I could find some salt and a way to get to Moody's old cell. He'd traded the smokes for a lighter earlier, which I now had. All I needed were the remains.

Walking down the hall, I looked to each of the cells numbers until I came to the one I was looking for. Stepping inside, I unfolded the mattress, seeing a blood stain. This is what I was looking for.

Sprinkling the salt on the blood I then set the mattress alight with the lighter, letting it burn and ending our case.

**DPOV**

"Hey, Tiny." I called, sitting on the bed in my cell in the infirmary.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, sorry about the things I was saying earlier. I can't really tell you why, but I had to get you angry," I admitted. "So, uh... anyway, sorry."

"It's okay. Truth is, I have low self-esteem issues." He stood from his bed. There was a mesh sheet between our cells, so all I could see was his silhouette. "My old man treated me and my brother like crap. Right up until the day he died."

"How'd he die?"

"My brother shot him," he answered simply.

"Okay..."

I looked away from the mesh for no reason other than to look around the room, maybe think of something else to talk about. That's when I saw someone on the other side of the room.

"Oh, crap." I got off my bed.

"What is it?" Tiny asked.

I didn't answer as I kept watching the person. The woman. She was watching me as well. When she started to walk forward, moving through the table, I knew this was bad.

Stepping forward, I tried to open the door of my cell but there was no way I'd get it open. So I turned to my lunch tray, seeing the salt shaker. I grabbed it just before she threw me back. I hit the wall and then fell to the ground with a grunt and a groan.

"What is it?" There was a slight panic in Tiny's voice.

Before I could answer, the woman was above me, pressing her hand down on to my chest. It was like she was squeezing the life out of me. Draining my veins of blood.

It was hard, but I managed to pop open the salt shaker and throw the salt on her. He disappeared in an instant. I groaned and rolled on to my side, clutching my chest. But before I could recover, I heard Tiny groan and fell to the ground.

"No!"

"Tiny!" I scrambled to my feet. "Tiny!" grabbing onto the door of my cell, I shook it. "Guard!"

"Dean!" Liz came rushing in. She took one look at Tiny's cell and ran.

As she reached his cell, she grabbed the keys on her belt and went to unlock the door, only to stop as the key slide into the lock. I couldn't see what was happening but Tiny was no longer groaning.

"Liz?"

Her eyes were wide as she looked straight ahead. "He's... he's dead."

Suddenly she was pushed to the ground as the ghost pressed its hand to her chest, right on her heart. Liz gasped for air and her veins darkened as the ghost suffocated her just like she'd tried to do to me, and would have done to Tiny.

"Liz!" I kicked at the door, helpless, unable to do anything other than watch. "Elizabeth!"

She struggled against the ghost, but managed to lift her hand and grab its wrist. The thing drew back and disappeared. I hadn't seen it, but I was sure Liz had touched her with the iron ring on her finger.

"Let me out." I shook the cage door again. "Liz, let me out!"

Getting to her feet, she hurried over and did as I said.

Once the door was open, I grabbed her and pulled her to me. "You okay?"

"Are you?" she asked, but didn't pull away and instead wrapped her own arms around me. "When I heard you..." She didn't have to finish for me to understand. I knew what she was saying. She'd been scared for me.

"I'm okay." I pulled back, brushing a stray strand out of her face. "I'm okay."

Nodding, she leaned in closer again, resting her head against my chest. "Dean." slowly she lifted her head and looked up at me.

Searching her eyes, I couldn't help myself. Leaning forward I pressed my lips against hers. In an instant, she started to kiss me right back. An urgency was there, both of us needing this, to assure the other was okay.

We both knew there wasn't much time before someone else would come. She'd have to put me back in the cell and go get help in a moment. But for now, we didn't care.

...

"Wait, so you're telling me it wasn't Moody?" Sam asked as we walked around the yard.

"Not unless he liked going around dressed like a nurse," I noted. "Poor Tiny, man. Poor, giant Tiny. And Liz?" I shook my head. "That thing was seconds from killing her."

"So this is like the ghost of some nurse who worked here or something?"

"I don't know, I guess." I shrugged.

"You know what, Dean, at this point 'I don't know, I guess', isn't really working for me. See, uh, I thought we were done. I called Deacon, it's happening. We're getting out tonight."

"I guess we gotta do some quick research, then."

"How? I mean, maybe you haven't noticed, we're in jail."

**SPOV**

Dean and I stood in front of Randall as he sat on one of the tables in the yard.

"So you wanna know about some nurse?" Randall looked to the two of us. "Why do you wanna know?"

"We got our reasons," Dean told him. "But, uh, we'll make it worth your while." He offered Randall a pack of smokes, which he took. "So this nurse, she would have had white hair, one screwed-up eye. Is that ringing a bell?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I remember her." Randall nodded.

"You remember her name?"

"No, that's still kind of fuzzy?"

I gave a short laugh as I looked to Dean expectantly. When he refused to do anything, I sighed. "Give it to him."

"I earned these."

"Dean." I shook my head at him.

Reluctantly, he pulled out another pack of smokes and handed them over.

"Glockner. Nurse Glockner. Nasty old bitch worker here in the '70s."

"You know her?" I asked.

"I met her once. I had to get a tetanus shot. She damn near jabbed the needle through the other side of my arm. At least I got out of there alive."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"There were stories, I don't know if they were true," he started. "Cons love to talk, but we're all liars."

"What kind of stories?" Dean pressed.

"Guys would go up to the infirmary with a cold, next thing, they're in a body bag," Randall explained. "A whole rash of heart attacks. Young guys. Old guys."

"Heart attacks?" That didn't sound right... But it matched the case.

"Yeah. The story was, Glockner had it out for cons and she did this Charles Bronson thing with a hypodermic. Anyway, that was the rumour. Nobody ever proved anything."

"So whatever happened to Glockner?"

Randall turned to Dean, shrugging. "I don't know. I finished my bit and left. Next time I landed back in here, she was gone."

**DPOV**

"Okay, so let's say those stories on Glockner were true."

"It's a thought. You know, in life, she's a vigilante. In death, same thing." I nodded.

"Right, but how's she tied in with the old cellblock? And if she's going after cons, why kill that guard? Or attack Lizzie?"

"I did hear in the yard that the guard wasn't exactly squeaky clean. And Liz isn't either. I mean, with the stuff we do in the job and the reason why she's working here. So, maybe Glockner's going after anybody that breaks the law."

"You heard in the yard?"

I gave a short nod and slight shrug, like it wasn't a big deal. Which I wasn't sure why he'd think it was. "Yeah."

He laughed. "Dean, does it bother you at all how easily you seem to fit in here?"

"No, not really," I answered honestly.

"All right, well listen. Either way, we need more info on Glockner. If she's buried. If so, where?" He looked over to the clock. "And we got five hours to get it." When I gave him a look he shook his head. "Don't give me that look. Don't give me that we-gotta-see-this-thing-through look. We are leaving tonight, no matter what."

"I just don't wanna let Deacon down. We owe him."

"We don't own him our lives, Dean. Look, if we can't get what we need, Liz will stay on the job without us. She'll get to the bottom of it," he assured me.

But I wasn't too happy with that plan. "You kidding? She barely got away from Glockner last time. You think we should leave her here on her own with a killer ghost and all these guys?" I gestured around us.

"She can handle herself, Dean."

"No." I shook my head, getting to my feet. "There's gotta be a way we can finish this together."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go talk with our lawyer," I called back to him as I stalked out of the room.

...

"You want me to what?" The lawyer looked at me like I should be in an insane asylum and not some prison.

"Her name was Glockner, okay? She worked here as a nurse in the '70s. Now, I need you to find out everything about her, most importantly how she died. And where she's buried."

"Are you nuts? You have any idea the kind of trouble you're in here?"

"I have a vague notion."

"Good, so let's forget about some random nurse and talk about your case."

"Mara. It's Mara, right?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"I get that you're trying to help me, okay? I do. But believe me when I say that this is the best way that you can help."

"Really, how? Explain that to me."

"I wish I could, but I can't. I'm just gonna have to ask you to trust me on this."

"Why should I? Henriksen says you're a monster."

"I'm a monster?" That made me laugh. "Well, he's wrong, okay? I'm not what they say I am."

"Everybody says that."

"Yeah." She had a point there. "Look, if you're as smart a PD as I think you are, then you can tell with just one look whether or not your clients are guilty, okay? Just like that. So I want you to look at me. Really look. And you tell me. Am I guilty? We're not the bad guys."

...

Sam waved me over as I entered the yard. We met each other half way. He started to speak before we'd even finished walking. "She go for it?"

"No. No, not so much." I sighed. "But, uh, maybe she'll still come around."

He shook his head. "We can't wait around to find out."

"We could give it another day," I suggested.

"No, no, no, we're leaving tonight, and that's it."

"So we're not gonna finish the job? We're just gonna let people die?"

"Don't give me that, all right. This was your stupid plan. And I went along with it, but we're sticking to the plan, Dean."

"Okay, you leave" I nodded. "But I'm gonna stay," I told him before I walked off.

"Hey, don't turn away from me." He followed.

"Screw you," I called over my shoulder.

"What? Screw you." He grabbed my jacket and turned me around.

I shoved him away, drawing the attention of the guards in an instant. They grabbed us, keeping us apart.

"All right, hard case." It was the head guard again. "I see the usual methods ain't gonna work with you." He turned me around, handing me over to another guard as he grabbed Sam's shoulder. "You too, sweetheart."

...

Sam and I were brought to a large, empty room. The guard dragging me along, shoved me away as the head guard pushed Sam as well before he turned to the other man.

"Take off. I wanna handle this alone."

With a simple nod, the guard left, leaving Sam and I with the boss. He stepped forward and smiled, patting me on the shoulder.

I let out a relieved breath, turning around so he could uncuff me. "Deacon, you are beating the holy hell out of me, man."

"Sorry, Dean," he chuckled. "I thought I was going easy on you." I just laughed as he uncuffed both Sam and me. "Just trying to make it look real."

I nodded. "Yeah, well, mission accomplished."

"Elizabeth was pretty good at keeping up appearances as well, seeing as she's not a real guard," he noted. "I guess working here for a month will teach you a few things," he finished with Sam's cuffs. "So is it over?"

"No. It turns out it wasn't Moody," Sam answered honestly.

Deacon frowned, confused. "What?"

"Yeah."

"Then who?"

"Uh, we think it's some nurse who used to work here. But we're still a little shy on all the intel we need."

"Which is why we should stick around until we find it," I offered.

"You wanna have this fight for real?" Sam warned. "We gotta go now."

"I still think we should stay."

"We're leaving, Dean. Otherwise we'll be leaving for Milwaukee with Henriksen as company."

"Oh, come on."

"Guys!" Deacon yelled over us, getting our attention.

"What?" we asked at the same time.

He pulled an envelope from his pocket. "Your lawyer left this for you." He handed it to me.

I chuckled. "Would you look at that? Man, I am frigging velvety smooth."

Sam rolled his eyes. "You wanna maybe open it after you're done patting yourself on the back?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I mumbled, opening the envelope. "Wow."

"What?" Sam tried to take a look. "Well, you wanna share with the class, Dean?"

"Glockner died in the old cellblock after Moody bit it," I read from the letter. "It seems they had a little inmate uprising, she got caught in the middle. They dragged her to a solitary cell, gave her a severe cerebral edema."

"Someone bashed her head in," Sam filled in.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Say where she's buried?"

"Yep."

"All right, then let's get you the hell out of here." Deacon headed over to a vent in the wall.

"Don't worry, Deacon, we'll get rid of this thing," I assured him.

"Good, because I want it out of my prison." He pulled the cover off the vent. "Boys, uh... I can't thank you enough for this. I know it was asking a lot, but you still came through. Your daddy raised you right."

"Well, we owed you." Sam gave a short shrug before Deacon pulled him in for a hug.

Stepping back, Deacon moved to hug me next. "I hope to see you again, huh? Just not in here, okay? And, uh, tell Elizabeth thanks as well. You got a great girl there." He gave me a pat on the back.

"She's just a friend," Sam told him.

It was odd, really, because the first thing that had come to mind was to agree with Deacon. Telling him she was just our friend never occurred to me, because he was right. I did have a great girl.

Stepping back, Sam and I started for the vent, ready to get the hell out of there. That's when I remembered something.

"Oh." Grinning, I turned back to Deacon. "Where do you want it?"

"What?" he asked, but I just gave him a look which told him everything. Sighing, he tapped his cheek. "Just make it look real, son."

I chuckled as I pulled my fist back and then punched him, right on the cheek.

**EPOV**

"Hiya boys." I smiled as Sam and Dean came into view.

I was leaning against the Impala. You have no idea how good it felt to be out of uniform and back in my jeans, a tank top and my favourite leather jacket, my hair no longer in a neat bun but a messy ponytail.

Dean grinned, moving over to me. "Oh, man, are you a sight for sore eyes." He gave his Baby a pat.

I laughed lightly, pushing off her side. "Nice to see you too, Winchester." Reaching into the back seat, I pulled out a bag before tossing him and Sam one of their jackets each.

As Dean started to pull his prison jacket off, he continued to grin. "You know, I almost wish I could see Henriksen's face."

"Really? 'Cause I'd be happy if I never saw him again," Sam noted. "You know, we're not really out of the woods yet."

As if on cue, an alarm began to blare.

"Good point." Dean nodded as we all quickly got in the car and drove off.

...

Dean handed me a shovel before he closed the trunk of the car.

"We gotta move it," Sam started as we began to walk through the cemetery. "If Henriksen gets to the lawyer..."

"I thought she couldn't say anything. That lawyer-client privilege thing."

Sam laughed. "The privilege doesn't apply, Dean."

"So she'll talk?"

"She has to." Sam shrugged as he walked a little faster to find the grave, clearly wanting this finished already. We were all in danger now. If Henriksen came, he'd lock all three of us up.

Dean groaned. "Oh, that's frigging super."

I shook my head. "If Glockner hadn't attacked me and killed Tiny, I would have been at work. You could have told me and I would have found the bones and burnt them by now." I was feeling pretty useless.

My job had been to get into the prison and try to find any details on the case. We were hoping I'd be able to have everything ready to go once the guys got there. But no one would talk to me about Moody when we thought it was him. By the time we realised it was a nurse instead, I'd been sent home to recover from witnessing a prisoner's death.

"It's not your fault," Dean assured me.

I looked up at him, giving a little smile. "Sorry about the shoving you around stuff, too. All part of the job."

He grinned. "I get it."

"Not gonna lie, though. I liked it a bit."

His grin grew. "Really?"

"Guys, over here," Sam called, a couple steps ahead.

Dropping the subject, we came over to join him by a grave, seeing Glockner's name on the stone. Getting to work, all three of us began to dig.

Before long, we found the coffin. Opening it up, we poured salt and gasoline over the body before setting it alight, finishing the job once and for all.

**Bamby**


	27. I Dream of Lizzie

**EPOV**

" _Yeah?_ "

I looked out the hotel room window as I spoke to Dean on the phone. "There's a cop car outside."

It was dark out, I was alone, my partners in crime were literal fugitives and I was the perfect amount of paranoid, cautious and suspicious. Ever since we started keeping a lower profile than usual, I'd become somewhat worried about everything and anything. Hell, I hadn't even wanted to do this case. We could have easily passed it to someone else.

But Dean and Sam insisted, and seeing as I was part of our little group, I had no choice but to tag along. Well, I could have left, but that was not an option anymore. Not when they were on the run and in more danger than usual.

" _You think it's for us?_ " he asked.

"I don't know."

" _I don't see how. We ditched the plates, the credit cards,_ " he noted.

I let out a sigh of relief as the car drove away. "Never mind, false alarm."

" _See, nothing to worry about_."

"Yeah, teaming up with a pair of fugitives was the best idea I've ever had."

" _Admit it, you'd miss us if you left._ "

"I'd probably only miss Sam." I grinned, plopping down onto one of the beds.

He laughed. " _Yeah, right, Liz. Keep lying to yourself. I'm so your favourite._ "

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed a book off the pillow next to me. "You got anything yet?"

" _What, are you kidding me? How could I? You got Sam and me sifting through, like, fifty square miles of real estate here_."

"I offered to go, but you and Sam insisted," I noted. "And that's where the victims disappeared."

" _Yeah, well, I got diddlysquat. What about you_?"

"Just one thing." I looked to the book in my lap. "I'm pretty sure we're hunting a jinn."

He laughed. " _A frigging genie? No way. You think these suckers can grant wishes_?" I could practically hear the grin in his voice.

"I don't know. They're powerful, but nothing like Barbara Eden. Jinn have been feeding off people for centuries."

" _My God. Barbara Eden was so hot, wasn't she? Way hotter than that_ Bewitched _chick_."

I looked away from the book, rolling my eyes. "Yes, Dean. Oh my God, she was so freaking hot."

" _You don't have to be so sarcastic_."

"Yes I do," I argued. "Anyway, these things like to hang out in ruins. The bigger, the better. More places to hide, I suppose."

" _Yeah, I think I saw a place a few miles back. I'm gonna go check it out_."

"Dean... maybe you should come pick me up first? Or wait for Sam? I don't want you going in there alone."

" _You worried about me?_ " His grin smothered his words.

"Do I have to dignify that with an answer?"

He sighed. " _Look, Liz, I'll be fine. I'm sure it's nothing. I just wanna take a look around. Promise I'll call you when it's done._ "

"If I don't hear from you within in the hour, I'm calling Sam and we're coming after you. Understand?"

He gave a short laugh. " _Yes, ma`am._ "

**DPOV**

_Oh, God_. I groaned, lying on something soft. _I really should have listened to Liz_. My head was a little fuzzy. The last thing I remembered was getting into a fight with a tattooed man whose hand was glowing with a blue flame. Then, I was out like a light.

The sound of thunder had me sit up suddenly.

I frowned, taking in my surroundings. There was a TV to my right, which was on some show I didn't bother paying any attention to. I was on a soft mattress in nothing but my underwear with a sheet draped over me. I was in a bedroom- not a hotel room, a bedroom.

_Where the hell am I?_

I got out of bed, grabbing a shirt of a chair by the door as I walked out of the room, stepping into the living room. A mobile sat on the coffee table a couple feet away. Hurrying over, I grabbed it, flicking through until I found Sam's number.

He answered on the second ring. " _Dean?_ "

"Sam." I started pacing the room.

" _What's going on_?"

"I don't know. I don't know where I am."

" _What? What happened?_ "

"Well, I went after the thing, the, uh... the jinn, and it attacked me."

" _The gin? You're drinking gin_?"

"No, ass-hat, the jinn. The scary creature, remember. It put its hand on me and then I woke up in this strange place and I have no idea where I am."

" _Dean... where's Elizabeth?_ "

"Liz?"

" _Yes, Elizabeth, your fiance._ "

 _Fiance_ _?_ "What the hell are you talking about?"

He sighed. " _You're drunk, Dean. You're drunk dialling me._ "

"No, I am not drunk," I argued. "Stop screwing around with me."

" _Look, it's late. All right, just get some sleep. And, uh, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?_ "

"Wait, Sam. Sam." But it was too late, he'd already hung up. "Son of a..." Putting my phone back down on the table, I grabbed the letters it had sat next to. I frowned at the address. "Lawrence?" Flicking through the letters I noticed some were for me while some were for Elizabeth Rose Hart.

_Liz. So... she lives here? We live here? We live together? Where is here? Where am I? What the hell is happening?!_

Dropping the letters, I moved to a display cabinet, looking at all the photos. They were of Liz and me. I could tell just by looking at them that some were taken years ago. The two of us looked so happy, and sure enough, in one picture, Liz was showing off a diamond ring on her finger.

"Holy..."

But the next photo I noticed had my whole body tense. Lifting the photo, I couldn't believe my eyes. _This can't be real_...

...

I hurried up the few steps and onto the porch, lifting my fist to knock on the door. When there was no answer I reached for the doorbell, pressing on a button a few times. It may have been late at night, but I needed to know. I needed to see for myself.

A light flicked on, lighting up the porch before the door opened.

"Dean."

"Mum?" I looked her up and down, unable to believe it was really her.

"What are you doing here?" She reached for me. When I flinched back she looked worried. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," I answered, searching her eyes. _Could this be real_?

"Well, come inside." She stepped back into the house and gestured for me to follow. I did, moving to stand beside her, watching as she closed the door before moving into the living room. "Is everything all right? Did something happen to Lizzie?"

"Lizzie?" I couldn't even think straight. It took me a moment to realise she was talking about Liz. It took me a second to realise that in this world, Liz and I were together and she knew my mum somehow. "Right... let me ask you a question. When I was a kid, what did you always tell me when you put me to bed?"

"Dean, I don't understand-"

I cut her off, a little harshly. "Just answer the question."

"I told you angels were watching over you." She smiled.

Everything inside me relaxed. _It really is her._ "I don't believe it." Walking forward, I wrapped her up in a tight hug.

Her hands rubbed my back soothingly. "Honey... you're kinda scaring me." She pulled back. "Now, just tell me what's going on."

"You don't think that wishes can really..." I stopped myself, wondering what I could or should say.

She looked at me confused. "What?"

Deciding not to say anything, I smiled and pulled her in for another hug. "Forget it." It didn't matter anymore. None of it matter. All I cared about was her. My mum. I had my mum back. She was alive, and I had her back. "Forget it. I just, uh... I'm happy to see you, that's all." I felt my eyes begin to tear up. Pulling back, I smiled down at her. "You're beautiful."

She gave a little laugh. "What?"

Turning around, I moved to some photos on a shelf. "Hey, when I was... when I was young, was there ever a fire here?"

"No, never."

"I thought there was," I told her, looking at all the photos from over the years, of us as a family. All four of us. Mum, dad, Sammy and me. "I guess I was wrong." One photo caught my attention as I lifted it from its place. "Dad's on a softball team?"

I turned to mum, seeing her looking at me confused. _Right, in this world I know about this stuff._

I quickly corrected myself, covering my tracks. "Dad's softball team. It's... that's funny to me."

She looked down at the picture as well. "He loved that stupid team."

I didn't miss the message. "Dad's dead?" I looked up at her. "And the thing that killed him was a..."

Once again, she looked at me confused. "A stroke. He died in his sleep, you know that."

Nodding, I turned to the picture once more. "That's great."

"Excuse me?"

I quickly fixed my words. "That's great. That he went peacefully, I mean, it... it sure beats the alternative." Turning, I placed the photo back in its spot.

Mum sighed. "You've been drinking."

I shook my head. "No, I haven't. Mum."

But she clearly didn't believe me. "I'm just gonna call Lizzie. See if she can come pick you up on her way home." She reached for the phone.

"Wait." I grabbed it before she could. "No. No. Don't do... don't do that. Don't do that." I shook my head. "I wanna stay here."

"Why?"

"Because I miss the place." It was an honest answer. "It's okay. You go to bed, okay?" I nodded, moving to the couch where I sat down.

She walked over to me resting a hand on my head. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Looking up at her, I hadn't felt this happy in years. "I think so."

"Okay." Smiling, she leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead. "Get some rest. I love you."

"Me too." I smiled back at her.

Walking off, she looked back one more time before leaving to head back upstairs to her room.

...

I woke up the next morning, still in my old living room, still on my mum's couch. The picture of Sam, mum, dad and I still sat where I'd placed it on the coffee table last night, right where I could see it when I woke up. As happy as I was to still be here, I had no idea why.

Pulling out my phone, I dialled Sam number, only to get to voice mail.

"What the hell is going on." Shaking my head, I flicked through my contacts, looking for Liz's name. When I came across the name 'Babe' I frowned, giving it ago, but there was no answer. "God damn-" Sighing, I got to my feet.

If I was going to be stuck in a world where I knew nothing and neither did the people around me, then I was just going to have to search out someone who dad known something.

...

"Well, I don't think I've seen you in my class before." The professor of Folklore and Mythology at the Lawrence college sat at his desk across from me.

"You kidding me?" I smiled. "I love your lectures. You... you make learning fun."

He chuckled. "So, what can I do for you?"

"What can you tell me about jinns?"

"Well, a lot of Muslims believe the jinn are very real. They're mentioned in the Koran."

"Yeah, I know. Get to the wish part," I pressed.

"What about it?"

"Do you think they could really do it?"

"Um... no. No, I don't think they can really do it. You understand, these are mythic creatures."

"Yeah. No, I know. I know. But I mean, in the stories. You know, say you had a wish but you never even said it out loud. You know, like, that a... that a loved one never died or that something awful never happened?"

"Supposedly, yes." He nodded. "I mean, they have godlike power. They can alter reality however they want. Past, present, future."

"Why would the jinn do it? What, self-defence? Or maybe it's not really evil..." I suggested, more to myself than him.

"Son? You been drinking?"

I grinned, looking at him again. "Everybody keeps asking me that, but, no."

...

Opening the trunk of the Impala, I didn't find a stash of guns, knives and an assortment of weapons. Nope. There was just some trash. Nothing else.

I chuckled lightly. "Well, who'd have thought, baby? We're civilians." I closed the trunk and looked around, my eyes landing on a woman.

She was watching me, standing on the other side of the road. Just there, staring, unmoving, a look in her eyes like she wasn't actually looking at me, but through me.

Frowning, I started for her.

The sound of screeching tires on the road had me look to see a car brake just in time not to hit me.

"Hey! What's the matter with you?" the driver yelled.

Ignoring them, I turned back to the woman, but she was gone.

...

I moaned, mouth full of a bite if the sandwich mum had made for me. "This is the best sandwich ever," I called to her.

"Thank you."

"I tried to get a hold of Sam earlier. Where is he?"

"Oh, he'll be here soon." She smiled, putting some food into the fridge.

"Good." I nodded. "I'm dying to see him."

"Sweetie, don't get me wrong." She smiled, walking into the dining room to sit on the chair across from me. "I am thrilled you're hanging out here all of a sudden." she reached over to touch my shoulder as I smiled at her. "But, uh, shouldn't you be at work?"

My smile fell. "Work?"

"At the garage."

"Right... the garage. That's where I work. Yeah, no, I've got the day off." I nodded. "Good thing." Taking another bite of my sandwich, I turned to look out the window. Frowning, I put the food down and got up to look outside. "That lawn looks like it could use some mowing."

"You wanna mow the lawn?" She sounded shocked.

"You kidding?" I smiled widely. "I'd love to mow the lawn."

"Knock yourself out." She shrugged. "Think you'd never mowed a lawn in your life."

...

The sun was up, the grass was green, neighbours moved about doing their own thing. It was a beautiful, normal day. I was loving it. Walking back a forth, pushing the lawn mower along the grass. Sometimes I'd wave at a neighbour, or just give a friendly nod and smile. It all felt so normal. I was loving every little bit of it.

"You have no idea how turned on I am right now."

Shutting the lawn mower off, I turned to see Liz walking through the gate of the white picket fence in front of mum's house. But it wasn't the Liz I knew. This one was... different.

Instead of jeans and her leather jacket, her hair messily pulled back, boots, necklaces hanging from her neck and tattoos on her skin... she was dressed in a long, flowing floral skirt with light blues, greens and purples, with a loose white woollen shirt that fell off one shoulder. Her hair was curled in perfect waves, falling down her back. She wore white strapped shoes on her feet, and only had one silver heart necklace around her neck, with no tattoos in sight what so ever.

"You mowing the lawn," she shook her head, "one of the sexiest things I've ever seen." She smiled as she began to walk towards me. "You're mum called and told me where you were here."

"Yeah..." All I could do was stand there and gawk at her. She looked so light, and beautiful.

Coming to stop in front of me, she leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "I forgive you."

After recovering from the light feathery kiss, I frowned, confused. "For what?"

Pulling back, she shrugged. "For not being home when I got back last night." Her hand rested on my chest. I looked down at her hand, seeing the diamond ring on her finger. "I was worried, but I trust you. I knew you were safe."

_Is this real? Is she... are we..._

...

I sat on the porch step, drinking a beer while Liz sat next to me, leaning on my shoulder, her hand on my knee. We weren't talking. We were just sitting. It was nice. It was... it was nice.

She'd gone in and grabbed the beer for me earlier, claiming I deserved a break. While I waited by the front door, I listened to her and mum. The two talked away, so naturally and easily. It was like they'd known each other for years.

 _They have._ I reminded myself.

Still, it was nice to know they got along so well. I could already tell mum loved Liz, and vice versa. Honestly, even in our old world, I'd had a feeling they'd get along.

A car pulled up at the front of the house, grabbing my attention.

"I don't believe it," I muttered.

Grabbing Liz's hand with my free one, I stood up and hurried over to the car, Liz right behind me, laughing lightly.

Letting go of Liz's hand I wrapped my arms around Jess. "Jessica." I thought I'd never see her again. Not after what happened to her. But I guess she didn't die in this world either.

"Good to see you too, Dean." She gave my back a pat. "Can't breathe."

I quickly let go, stepping back. Smiling, I turned to see my brother stepping towards me. "Sammy, look at you." I gave his shoulder a playful punch. "You're with Jessica. I don't believe it."

"Yeah..." Sam smiled back, but looked a little confused.

"Where'd you guys come from?" I looked between them.

"We just flew in from California."

"California. Stanford, huh? Law school, I bet."

Sam chuckled, looking down at the beer in my hand. "I see you started off mum's birthday with a bang, as usual."

My smile fell. "Wait, mum's birthday? That's today?"

Liz stepped up to me, taking the beer from my hand. "Thanks for holding my drink, babe." She pressed a kiss to my cheek before turning to my brother. "Dean's just messing around. He's been here all day and night helping her out. Your mum is always saying she'd like some help with the place."

I had no idea if she was telling the truth about the last part, but I knew she was covering my ass. I could also tell, in an instant, that this Liz and Sam weren't friends. It's not that they didn't like each other, more like, they didn't _know_ each other...

"We were actually about to head home and get ready for tonight." She smiled. "It was nice seeing you again, Sam, Jessica." Nudging my arm, she nodded to the car. "Dean."

"Ah, yeah, right." I nodded. "See ya 'round." Giving Sam and Jess a short wave, I then let Liz lead me away. "Where are we going tonight?" I mumbled to her.

As we reached my car she turned to me, a worried look in her eyes. "Babe... are you feeling all right?" She searched my eyes.

"No. No, I'm fine," I assured her, coming up with a quick and simple lie. "I've just got my days messed up."

Her smile returned. "We're going out for dinner, remember? It's your mum's birthday so we're all going out, as a family."

"Oh, right." I nodded, pretend that I remembered what she was talking about. "Now it's coming back to me."

Laughing, she shook her head, moving to the passenger side. "Just get in the car, Dean."

...

I was wearing a tie. A tie. Not only that, but an ironed shirt, too. In fact, Liz had ironed it for me. She knew how to iron.

Speaking of Liz, she looked gorgeous in a red dress that fell just above her knees. It was modest and sweet, but still looked sexy on her. With the nude heels she was wearing, the makeup and her hair that she'd pulled into a braid and over her shoulder, she looked stunning.

We sat next to each other, with mum on my left. The five of us- Sam and Jess included- were having dinner at a restaurant so fancy, I was wondering how I'd even got in.

A waiter came by, placing a plate of food in front of me. It was all vegetables.

I looked at the teepee looking thing of asparagus and other vegetable that sat on my plant. "Wow, that looks… awesome." It really didn't.

Everyone at the table laughed, probably knowing my true thoughts of the food.

"All right." Sam lifted his glass. "To mum. Happy birthday." We all raised our glasses as well, toasting.

Mum smiled at each of us. "Thank you."

Everyone was so happy. Sam had Jess. Mum was here. Sam was at law school. I had Liz. Hell, I had a normal life, including a normal job. It was so great.

"Hey." Liz's hand rest on my thigh as she leaned closer.

"Hey yourself." I smiled at her, my own hand moving to rest on her leg.

"I've got a crazy idea." She grinned. "What do you say, later, we get some cheeseburgers?"

Honestly, nothing could sound as good as that right then and there. "Oh, God, yes." I nodded as she laughed lightly. "How am I so lucky to have a chick like you?"

"My car broke down and I was in desperate need of a saviour. I guess I had low standards that night," she joked.

I chuckled, shaking my head at her. Moving without thinking, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss was just like the ones we shared in the other world. Soft and heated at the same time. No matter how long or short, there was always passion behind our kisses.

In this world, we weren't a secret. We weren't casual. We weren't just sleeping together. In this world, she was mine, I was hers and everyone knew it.

Pulling back, our eyes met, both of us smiling. _God, if this is heaven, thank you_.

Sam cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "All right, Jess and I actually have another surprise for mum's birthday." He looked to Jess. "Uh, you wanna tell them?"

Jess was blushing. "They're your family."

Sam shrugged. "All right."

"What? Tell me what?" mum asked excitedly.

Instead of answering with words, Sam lifted Jess's hand into view, showing off a simple yet gorgeous ring on her finger.

"Oh, my God!" Mum beamed.

Liz smiled brightly at the couple. "That's so wonderful. Congratulations." She got up to give Sam a hug as mum and Jess stood to hug.

Standing up myself, I stepped up to my brother once Liz moved over to Jess and mum. "Congratulations, Sammy." I shook his hand.

"Thanks."

"I'm really glad you're happy."

He looked a little confused, but before he could say anything I spotted the woman from earlier, standing on the other side of the restaurant. Walking away from Sam, I started towards, her, keeping my eyes on her this time so she didn't disappear. But someone walked in front of me, causing me to stop for a moment, pulling my attention for the woman. When they walked off, I looked up again to find she was gone once more.

_What the hell is going on?_

...

"So, Dean, what was... what was all that back at the restaurant?" Sam asked as we walked into mum's living room, mum, Liz and Jess behind us.

"Oh, I thought I saw someone." I shrugged. "I'm sure it was nothing."

"Well, I had a lovely birthday. Thank you." Mum smiled, standing in the door way. "Good night." She blew us a kiss.

"Goodnight," we all called back to her as she left.

"Yeah, well, I'm beat." Sam turned to Jess. "Ready to turn in?"

"Sure." She nodded, the two of them moving to leave as well. "Good night."

Sam turned to Liz and I. "Night, guys."

"Oh, wait. Wait a second," I called, stopping them. "Come on, it's not even nine o'clock yet. Let's, uh, have a drink or something," I suggested.

Sam shrugged. "Yeah, maybe another time."

"Come on, man. Look at us. Huh? We both have beautiful women on our arms. You're engaged." I gave his chest a playful slap. "Let's go celebrate."

Instead of answering Sam looked to Jess and Liz. "Guys, can you excuse us? I just wanna talk to my brother for a second."

"Sure." Jess nodded as she gestured for Liz to follow.

Liz was a bit more hesitant, looking at me a little unsure. But after a moment or two, she followed Jess out.

Once they were gone, Sam turned back to me. "Come here." He started for the dining room.

"What?" I asked as I followed him.

Sighing, he stopped once he was in the other room. "Okay." He turned to me again. "What's gotten into you?"

I frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, this whole warm, fuzzy ecstasy-trip thing."

"I'm just happy for you, Sammy." I shrugged, reaching over to give his arm a pat.

He stepped back. "Yeah. Right. That's another thing. Since when do you call me 'Sammy'? Dean. Come on. We don't talk outside of holidays."

That was a punch to the heart. "We don't? Well, we should. I mean, you're my brother."

He gave a short unamused laugh. "'You're my brother'? You know, that's what you said when you snaked my ATM card. Or when you bailed on my graduation, or when you hooked up with Rachel Nave."

"Who?"

"Uh, my prom date. On prom night."

"Yeah, that does kinda sound like me," I admitted. "Well, hey, man, I'm sorry about all that." I went to step forward to give him a hug, but he stepped back.

"No. Look. It's all right, man. I just... you know, I'm not asking you to change. I just... I don't know." He shrugged, looking for the right words. "I guess we just don't really have anything in common. You know?" he told me before moving to walk back out of the room.

I spun around to face him. "Yes, we do. Yes, we do."

"What?"

"Hunting."

"Hunting?" he shook his head. "I've never been hunting in my life, Dean."

 _Right..._ "Yeah, well, we should go sometime," I suggested. "I think you'd be great at it."

Shrugging, he went to leave, only to turn to me again. "Get some rest," and with that, he walked off.

**Bamby**


	28. Beautiful Nightmare

**DPOV**

Sitting in Liz's and my living room on the couch, I couldn't stop thinking about what Sam had said. It hurt. All of it did. To think the only reason we get along in the other world is because of all the pain we'd been through. It just felt so wrong.

"Here you go." Liz stood next to me, offering me the beer that was in one hand and a burger that was in the other.

"Thanks." I took them both as she sat on the couch next to me. "You know... Sammy and I, we don't get along," I told her, putting both the beer and burger onto the table next to me.

"Well, you don't really spend a lot of time together," she noted. "I mean, I can count the amount of times I've seen him over the four years we've been together, on both hands." Turning to rest her legs on mine, she leaned her head on my shoulder. "For the record, he doesn't know what he's missing."

"I can fix things with Sam." I nodded. "I can make it up to him. To everyone."

She looked up at me. "What's gotten into you lately?"

Looking down at her, I felt a smile creep onto my lips. "This isn't gonna make a lick of sense to you. But I kinda feel like I've been given a second chance. And I don't wanna waste it."

"You're right." she grinned. "That doesn't make any se-"

I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers for a quick kiss before pulling back. "You know, I get it."

"Get what?"

Romantic, sappy crap, was not my thing. But right here and now, I couldn't help it. I was just too damn happy. "Why you're the one. Doesn't matter where I am or where you are, this is where we'll always end up."

She smiled at me. "Whatever's gotten into you, I like it."

Leaning forward again, I pressed my lips to hers, deepening the kiss as her fingers came up to run through my hair. Slowly I pushed her back, turning so I was above her. Moving away from her lips, I began to press kisses along her jaw and down to her neck as I let my hand begin to slide up her leg.

Pushing me back gently, she moved to straddle me, pressing kisses all over my face as I kissed her neck and cleavage. My hand began to untie the robe she was wearing- which other than underwear, it seemed to be the only thing she had on.

"This is so unfair," she moaned. "You know I've gotta get ready." Pulling back, she got off me and stood up.

"Ready for what?" I asked following as she headed for the bedroom.

"Night class."

"Uh, right and you're studying to be..." I watched as she pulled some clothes out of the closet. Looking to the dresser next to me I read the title of the textbook that sat there. "A teacher. I'm engaged to a future teacher." I grinned, looking her up and down. "That is so... respectable."

She just rolled her eyes at me.

Shaking my head, I walked over to her. "Stay home for the night." Standing behind her, I brushed her hair way and pressed a kiss to her neck. "Just one night. For me."

Leaning back into me, she groaned. "I can't..."

"Please." My hands slid around her waist, holding her against me, my lips still on her skin.

It took a moment before she sighed and gave in, "I guess I can be a little late."

Turing her around, I pressed her against the wall. "That's my girl." I grinned before my lips crashed down on hers.

...

Putting my feet up onto the coffee table, I flicked through the channels on the TV as I drank my beer. Liz had left a few minutes ago, though even she hadn't wanted to go by then. Even in this world, our sex was just like it was in the other world, just like I remembered it. Which is exactly why I couldn't wipe the grin off my face.

"... _and today marks the anniversary of the crash of United Britannia Flight 424. Indianapolis residents held a candlelight vigil in memory of the-_ "

I shook my head, leaning forward. "No. No, I stopped that crash."

Turning the TV off, I grabbed the laptop off the coffee table and flicked it on to search the internet. Looking through article after article, I couldn't believe it. They were all dead. All of them.

Movement caught my eye. I looked up in time to see someone walk into the bedroom. Getting up, I followed them, but the bedroom was empty...

A noise came from the wardrobe. Stepping up to it, I opened the door, finding too mummified looking corpses hanging in the small space. Taking a step back, I caught something in the mirror.

Turning around, I was face to face with the woman. The one from earlier today and at the restaurant. But her clothes were now dirty and she looked ill, almost dead. She began to flicker as if she wasn't really there, and then she was gone.

Looking over my shoulder I found the wardrobe now empty as well.

_What the..._

...

"All of them." I shook my head, looking down at my dad's grave. "Everyone that you saved. Everyone Sammy and I saved. Hell, everyone Liz saved. They're all dead. And there's this woman who's just haunting me. I don't know why. I don't know what the connection is. Not yet anyway. It's like my old life it just coming after me or something, you know? Like it doesn't want me to be happy."

I was happy. I don't think I'd ever been happier in my life. Sure, it wasn't perfect, but that made it even better.

Like I told Liz, I'd fix things with Sam. I'd fix things with everyone. Once I did that, everything would be perfect. Mum would be alive. Liz and I would get married. Sam and Jess would get married. There'd be kids. We'd be a big, happy family like we always should have been.

But... it never was the simple.

"Of course, I know what you'd say. Well, not the you that played softball. But, you'd say, 'Go hunt the jinn. Hey, it put you here, it could put you back. You're happiness for all those people's lives. No contest, right'. But why? Why is it my job to save these people? Why do I have to be some kind of hero? What about us, huh? What, mums not supposed to live her life? Sammy's not supposed to get married? Liz... Liz." I shook my head again. "Why do we have to sacrifice everything, dad? It's..." A tear rolled down my cheek. "Yeah."

No answer. Just like in my real world.

I was on my own.

...

I heard them before I saw them. Though honestly, that wasn't hard. It's not like they were light on their feet or anything. You'd think, considering I could have been anyone breaking into my mum's house, that Sam would have at least _tried_ to be a little quieter while walking.

He'd come around the corner, swinging a bat. But this Sam wasn't my Sam, which meant he wasn't fast enough. I got out of the way and stood up, grabbing and shoving him to the ground easily.

"That was so easy, I'm embarrassed for you." I grinned down at him.

"Dean? What the hell are you doing here?" He pushed me off him.

"I was looking for a beer," I lied.

He looked behind me to where I'd been looking beforehand. "In the china cabinet?" He walked over to turn the light on before turning to see what I'd been doing. "That's mum's silver."

"Sam-"

He cut me off, looking both unimpressed and not exactly pleased. "What you broke into the house, to steal mum's silver?"

"It's not what it looks like," I insisted. "I didn't have a choice."

"Oh, really? Why? What's so damn important that you gotta steal from your own mother?"

I sighed. "You want the truth?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

 _There is no way in hell I can tell him the truth..._ "I owe somebody money." I shrugged.

"Who?"

"A bookie. I lost big on a game. I gotta bring him the cash tonight-"

"I can't believe we're even related."

 _That hurt._ "Sam, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we don't get along. And I wish to hell I could stay and fix it. But I gotta do this. People's lives depend on it." Bending down, I grabbed one of the silver knives.

"What are you talking about, Dean?"

Turning back to him, I shrugged again. "Nothing. Forget it. Just, uh... hey, tell mum I love her. And tell Liz... tell Liz I'm sorry."

He tilted his head slightly, looking at me confused as I walked towards the front door.

As much as I wanted to stay here, in this world, I knew I couldn't. I didn't belong here. There were people depending on me back home. There were things I had to do. Saving people, hunting things... I wanted the family in this dream world, but I already had a family back in the real world.

"Dean..."

Looking over my shoulder, I gave him a small, sad smile. "I'll see you Sammy." With that, I left.

...

Sitting in the car, I was about to drive off when my phone buzzed, telling me I had a message. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, seeing that it was from Liz.

_Just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking about you, and that I miss you already :) xox_

I smiled down at the phone, feeling guilty that I was about to leave her. But I had to. This was just something I had to do. My happiness was not worth more than the lives of other's. The Liz I knew would understand that.

As I put the phone back into my pocket, the passenger side door opened as Sam got into the car.

I didn't even wait for him to finish sitting down. "Get out of the car," I told him.

But he just closed the door, ignoring me. "I'm going with you."

"You're just going to slow me down."

"Tough."

"It's dangerous and you could get hurt."

"And so could you, Dean."

"Sam-"

"Look, whatever stupid thing you're about to do, you're not doing it alone. And that's that."

"I don't understand. Why are you doing this?"

He looked away from me then, sighing. "Because you're still my brother," he answered, turning to me again.

I nodded. "Bitch."

"Why'd you call me a bitch for?"

"You're supposed to say, 'Jerk'."

"What?"

"Never mind." Shaking my head, I turned the ignition on and drove off.

...

"What's in the bag?" Sam asked, trying to make conversation. We'd been driving in silence so far.

I looked down at the brown paper bag that sat between us. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah, nothing."

"Fine." Shrugging, he grabbed the bag and began to unravel it to pull whatever was inside, out.

"You don't wanna do that," I warned, a slight smile forming on my lips. _This'll be good_.

"Oh, really?" He just kept going, pulling out the container inside. "What the hell is this?"

"Blood," I answered simply.

"Yeah, I can see its blood, Dean. What the hell is it doing in here?" he snapped.

"You don't really wanna know."

"No, I do really wanna know. I really, really do."

"Well, you're gonna find out sooner or later," I muttered before answering him. "I needed a silver knife dipped in lamb's blood."

"You needed a silver knife dipped in lamb's blood, why?" He was freaking out.

"Because there's this creature, a jinn, and I have to hunt it."

"Okay. Um... Stop the car."

"I know how it sounds."

"Great. Just stop the car."

"It's the truth, Sam," I insisted. "All right, there are things out there in the dark. There are bad things. There are nightmare things. People have to be saved. If we don't save them, then nobody will."

"I wanna help you, all right? I really, really do. But you're having some kind of psychotic breakdown. So I just..."

"I wish," I mumbled, looking over to see him pulling out his phone. Rolling my eyes, I wound my window down, grabbed his phone, and threw it out of the car.

"What the hell was that, Dean? That was my phone."

"I'm not going to a rubber room, Sammy," I told him, putting my window back up. "And we got work to do."

"I was just trying to help you out, Dean. I don't want you to get yourself hurt."

"What, _you_ protect _me_?

"Yeah."

I laughed. "Oh, that's hilarious. Why don't you just sit tight and try not to get us both killed," I suggested, reaching forward to turn the radio on.

...

Stopping the car outside of the warehouse, I pulled out a torch, turned it on and shined it onto Sam's face. He woke up with a start, turning to glare at me. I simply grinned at him.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking around.

"Well, we're not in Kansas anymore," I chuckled. "Illinois."

"And you think something's in there?"

"I know it is," I answered, opening the car door and stepping out.

...

"See?" Sam shrugged as we walked around the abandoned warehouse. "There's nothing here, Dean. Look, Elizabeth's gotta be worried sick about you. Come on, let's just go."

I shushed him, hearing something in the distance.

"What the hell is that?"

I turned to him. "Stay behind me. Keep your mouth shut," I ordered before I began to follow the sound.

We came to an open space in the warehouse, seeing two bodies hanging from their wrists. Two _mummified_ bodies. Just like the ones I'd seen in my wardrobe at home. Exactly like them, actually. Right down to the clothes they were dress in. Needles were stuck in their neck, connected to blood bags. They'd been drained of blood, both of them.

"What the hell?" Sam stepped closer to them.

I looked to my right, seeing another body. Only...

Hurrying over I found that it wasn't a body. No, it was the woman I'd been seeing everywhere, and she was still alive. But she wouldn't be for long. Needles were stuck in her as well, draining her.

She began to twitch and mumble.

"Dean, what's going on?" There was a panic in Sam's voice.

I grabbed him, shushing him again. In the shadows behind the woman I could hear the thing coming.

Still holding on to Sam, I pulled him along as I moved us to go hide behind a counter. Once we were hidden, I watched, seeing the jinn stepped up to the woman as she cried, asking about her father.

The jinn lifted its hand, caressing her cheek. "Sleep." A blue glow rippled over the woman's skin, sending her back to sleep. "Sleep."

Once she was asleep, the jinn grabbed one of the tube connected to the blood bags. Lifting it, the thing squeezed some blood into its mouth, drinking it.

Sam made a noise of disgust.

The jinn turned in our direction, it's eyes glowing blue. It started towards us, but I was fast and quiet, pulling Sam and I away to hide somewhere else. Eventually the jinn gave up and walked up some stairs, into a room.

As a door closed, Sam spoke. "This is real? You're not crazy?"

I ignored him, stepping out of the hiding place. "She didn't know where she was. She thought she was with her father." I started towards her. "What is this what the jinn does? It doesn't grant you a wish. It just makes you think it has."

Sam grabbed my arm. "Look man, that thing could come back, all right?"

Still ignoring him, I walked over towards a hanging light and looked up at it. Staring up at the light, it was like everything began to blur, the lines mixing together, this world and the other flashing before my eyes. One moment I'm standing there looking up at the light, the next I'm tied up like the woman, then I'm standing again.

"Dean. Please."

"What if I'm like her? What if I'm tied up in here someplace? What if all this is in my head?" I turned, moving back to the woman, trying to think everything through. "I mean, it could, you know... Maybe it gives us some kind of supernatural acid, and then just feeds on us slow."

Sam stepped up behind me. "No, Dean, that doesn't make any sense, okay?"

"What if that's why she keeps appearing to me? She's not a spirit. It's like more and more I'm catching flashes of reality. You know, like I'm in here somewhere. I'm catatonic. And I'm taking all this stuff in. But I can't snap out of it."

"Yeah. Okay. Look, you're right." Sam nodded. "I was wrong. You're not crazy. But we need to get out of here. Fast." He grabbed my arm and started to pull me along, leading me to the exit.

I shoved him off me. "I don't think you're real."

He made a noise of frustration, grabbing my jacket. "Dude, you feel that? You feel this?" He shook me. "I'm real. This is not an acid trip. I'm real and that thing is gonna come down here and kill us for real. Now, please."

"There's on way to be sure." I pulled the silver knife out, the lambs blood still coating the blade.

Sam backed up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?"

"It's an old wives tale. If you're about to die in a dream, you wake up," I explained.

"No, no, no, that's crazy, all right?"

"Maybe." I shrugged.

"You're gonna kill yourself." He went to step forward but I pointed the knife at him, making him stop. "Okay." He raised his hands up.

"Or I'm gonna wake up. One or the other."

"Look. This isn't a dream, all right? I'm here, with you, now, and you are about to kill yourself, Dean."

"No, I'm pretty sure." I gave it a quick thought. "Like, ninety percent sure. But I'm sure enough." Turning the blade, I aimed it at my chest, ready to do it.

"Wait!" Sam yelled.

The place fell silent except for the sound of footsteps echoing in the distance, nearing. In the corner of my eye I could see something. Looking over, I found myself looking at my mum. Another person appeared, Jess, standing on my right. Then there was Liz, stopping next to Sam.

"Why'd you have to keep digging?" Sam asked, looking at me with sad, sorry eyes. "Why couldn't you have left well enough alone? You were happy."

Mum stepped up to me. "Put the knife down, honey."

"You're not real." I shook my head, trying to stay strong, though my voice sounded a little weak and unsure. "None of it is."

Mum raised her hand to cup my cheek. "It doesn't matter. It's still better than anything you had. It's everything you want." She smiled. "We're a family again. Let's go home."

"I'll die. The jinn'll drain the life out of me in a couple of days."

Mum shook her head. "But in here, with us, it'll feel like years, like a life time. I promise. No more pain or fear. Just love and comfort and safety. Dean. Stay with us. Get some rest."

"You don't have to worry about Sam anymore," Jess spoke up. "You get to watch him live a full life."

Mum stepped out of the way as Liz came to stand in front of me, reaching up to press a gentle kiss on my lips. "We can have a future together. We can have our own family. No secrets. No problems. Here, Dean, we can be together." She smiled up at me. "Dean, please." She lifted her hand, brushing her fingers against my cheek.

But, I felt something on my other cheek. A _hand_ holding my other cheek...

" _Dean... Dean!_ " The voice was far away, but I could hear it.

I frowned, trying to listen to it. "Liz?"

Sam stepped up, pulling my attention to him. "Why is it our job to save everyone? Haven't we done enough? I'm begging you. Give me the knife."

" _Dean!_ " This voice was Sam, I could hear it, I could feel it. The worry in his voice.

As much as I wanted to stay, looking to each face, I knew I would be happy and I knew they were telling the truth. But I couldn't. Not when there were people who needed me.

Stepping back from them, I shook my head. "I'm sorry." Raising the knife, I lined it up and plunged it into my chest.

**SPOV**

"Dean! Dean. Dean." I shook his shoulder. "Oh, God. Come on. Hey, wake up. Wake up, damn it."

Lizzie was right next to me. "Dean. Come on. Please wake up." Her voice sounded just as desperate as mine as she looked up at him, hanging there.

He groaned, opening his eyes to look at us. "Oh, Auntie Em." He managed a slight smile. "There's no place like home."

"Thank God." I let out a sigh of relief, moving to take the needle out of his neck. "Thought we lost you for a second."

"You almost did," he admitted.

Lizzie pulled out her knife, reaching up on her toes to cut at his binds. "I told you I'd come after you if you didn't call," she mumbled to him. "Scared the crap out of me."

He was about to say something, but his eyes went wide. "Liz, behind you!"

Both Lizzie and I turned around to see a tattooed man with glowing blue eyes reaching for Lizzie.

Acting quickly, she kicked out at it, making it stumble a few feet away. "I got it, you do Dean."

Not bothering with a response, I turned back to my brother, pulling out my own knife to cut him down.

He struggled against his binds. "Go help her."

I shook my head. "Gotta get you down first."

"No! She needs help!" He tried to look over his shoulder. "I can't see them. I can't see her!" There was a panic in his voice.

Finally, I managed to get him free.

Before I could move to help him, he snatched the knife out of my hand- which was silver and dipped in lamb's blood- and stalked towards the jinn as it held Lizzie against the wall, it's hand around her throat. Without hesitating a second, he stabbed the jinn in the heart through the back, killing it. As it fell to the ground, Dean reached for Liz, trying to keep her steady, but he was too weak.

I hurried over just in time to help both of them stand.

"You okay?" Dean asked her, brushing her hair out of her face.

She nodded at him. "Thanks."

I have no idea how I hadn't seen it, but suddenly I did. I could see it in the way they looked at each other. Somehow, somewhere down the line, something had changed between them. They weren't just friends anymore, there was something else there...

Without warning, Dean turned and walked away, heading further into the warehouse.

Lizzie and I shared a look before we followed him, coming to an opening where three bodies hung just as Dean had been moment ago.

He stood in front of one that looked to have only died moment ago, lifting his hand to check her pulse. "She's still alive."

"What?" Lizzie hurried over to help him.

Lizzie held the woman up as Dean used the knife to cut at the ropes around the woman's wrists. I stepped forward, taking the needle out of the woman's neck just as Dean got her free.

He carefully took her from Lizzie, looking down at the woman as he cradled her head in his hand. "I got you. I got you. We're gonna get you out of here, okay? I got you. I got you."

**EPOV**

"Okay. Thanks for the update. Okay. Bye." I hung up the phone and turned to Dean as he sat on the bed in the hotel room. "That was the hospital. The girl's been stabilised. Good chance she's gonna pull through."

He nodded, not even turning to me as he responded. "That's good."

Sam was disposing of the other two bodies that had been left at the warehouse, while also dealing with the jinn corpse, which left Dean and I alone.

I walked over to sit on the bed next to his. "How about you? How are you doing?"

"Yeah, I'm all right." He nodded again. But I could hear it in his voice. He wasn't all right. Before I could call him out on it, he spoke again, "You should've seen it, Liz. Our lives. Sam was such a wuss."

I laughed. "So I'm guessing you two didn't get alone?"

He gave a little grin, though still didn't turn to me. "No."

But, that didn't make sense to me. Sam was the most important thing to Dean. "I... I thought it was supposed to be this perfect fantasy?"

"It wasn't," he sighed, standing up. "It was just a wish. I wished for my mum to live. If she never died, Sam and I never would have hunted."

Frowning, I still didn't understand. "So... how could I have been there?"

"You just were." He shrugged, clearly hiding something.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't stay." I offered him a gentle smile. "Most people... most people wouldn't have had the strength. I think they would have stayed."

"Yeah. Lucky me." He shook his head. "I gotta tell you though," he sighed, "Sam had Jess."

"The girlfriend he lost?"

"Yeah." He nodded, going on. "My mum was gonna have grand-kids. I had-" He stopped and turned then, finally looking at me.

My heart sunk. "You had me?"

"We were engaged," he told me, moving to lean against the wall, still looking at me. "We were living together. You were studying to be a teacher. I worked at a garage. We were normal. And we were happy."

"Dean, it wasn't real. None of it was."

"I know. But I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay so bad."

Getting up, I walked over, standing in front of him as I rested my hands on his shoulders. "You don't mean that."

"I do," he insisted. "I mean, ever since my dad died, all I can think about is how much this job's cost me. All of us. Sam and me, we've lost so much. We've sacrificed so much..."

"People are alive because of you, Dean." I raised my hand to cup his cheek, turning his face to look at me. "People are alive because of you. It may not be fair, and this life sucks, I know. But it's worth it. And you know it, Winchester." A small smile played on my lips. "Or you wouldn't have come back."

**Bamby**


	29. Gathering the Soldiers

**DPOV**

I stopped the car in front of an all-night diner. "Don't forget the extra onions this time, huh?" I reminded Sam, handing him some cash.

"Dude..." He took the money, "I'm the one who's gonna have to rise in the car with your extra onions."

"I have to deal with it too, you know." Liz's head popped up in between us from where she sat at the back.

He just rolled his eyes. "At least you're in the back seat," he mumbled, getting out of the car.

"Hey, see if they got any pie," I called out to him. "Bring me some pie!"

Liz leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "I'll go get you some pie."

I turned my head a little more so I could look at her better. "What would I do without you?"

"Starve? Die? Cry?" She grinned, pressing her lips to mine in a quick kiss. Pulling back, she climbed over to sit in Sam's seat. "You'd be lost without me, Winchester."

Watching her get out of the car and followed Sam, I couldn't stop smiling.

I should probably mention... Sam knew. He kinda cornered me one day and asked if Liz and I were a thing. Which we weren't. We were still very casual and still saw other people. _But_ , we weren't hiding anymore either.

As she and Sam entered the diner, I looked down at the radio and turned it up, listening to the music as it filled the car. Bopping me head up and down, I closed my eyes, enjoying the moment. It was pretty rare for us not to have a case to worry about. Opening my eyes again, I watched as Sam and Liz talked to the waitress. Suddenly the music started to go in and out as the radio's light flickered.

Frowning, I looked around, trying to see what might be causing the radio to go nuts. But as I turned back to the diner my blood ran cold. I couldn't see anyone. No waitress, cook. No one eating. No Sam or Liz.

Getting out of the car, I hurried over to enter the diner.

The moment I stepped inside I froze. At one of the tables where a man had been eating, was now the same man, his throat cut as blood spilled out onto the table.

"Sam? Liz?" I called, pulling out my gun as I moved further into the small diner, heading for the only other way out, the back door.

As I rounded the corner, I looked behind the counter, seeing both the cook and waitress with their throats cut as well.

Pushing on the back door, I looked out at the puddled mud and dying bushes. "Liz? Sam?"

No response.

 _This is not good._ Pulling the door shut again, my hand brushed against some kind of powder, looking down at it I knew what it was in an instant.

"Sulphur." Running back to the entrance, I rushed out in to the rain, gun still in hand as I looked around. "Sam? Liz? Sammy?" I moved a little closer to the car. "Elizabeth? Sam? Liz?" the more I called the more worried I got. "Sam!"

**EPOV**

I woke up in dirt. The sun was up. I was cold, the ground was wet and I was cranky. "Dean Winchester, if this is a joke I'm gonna kick your ass," I muttered, getting to my feet.

But the moment I took in my surroundings, I knew this was no joke. I also knew a few more things. One, this had nothing to do with Dean. Two, I had no idea where I was. Three, I was in big, big, _big_ trouble.

Feeling my pockets and the back of my pants, I groaned. _Of course, no freaking weapons._ Though as I looked down at my finger I could see I was still wearing my iron ring, and around my neck still sat my three- yes three- silver necklaces. Plus, the leather one with the wooden cross, but I that couldn't protect me from as much as the other necklaces could.

"Lizzie?"

I spun around, seeing Sam walking towards me. "Oh, thank God." Letting out a sigh of relief, I started towards him. "Have you found Dean?"

He shook his head. "I just woke up. You're the first person I've seen." We stopped in front of each other, looking around at the abandoned, western looking town. "We should see if we can find anyone else," he suggested.

There was nothing else we could really do at that point, so I simply nodded.

We started to head to one of the buildings, looking in through the windows and trying the doors. Staying as quiet as possible, me moved gentle and carefully. We still had no idea why we were here or what had put us here.

The sound of something creaking had both Sam and I look at each other. Sam grabbed a broken piece of wood that had been sitting by his feet before he looked to me again. With a nod, we started towards the sound, both of us ready for anything to jump out. Nearing the corner, I curled my hand up into a fist, my iron ring ready to do its thing.

Sam stepped around the corner, lifting his weapon, only to suddenly stop. "Andy?"

I walked around Sam, seeing a short guy with dark hair, stubble on his face, with a hoodie on, cowering before he looked up at us. "Sam." he instantly relaxed. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know," Sam answered in an instant.

"What am _I_ doing here?" Andy asked, clearly just as clueless as us.

"I don't know. Just-"

Andy cut Sam off. "Where are we?" He was freaking out, on the verge of a panic attack.

Shaking my head, I grabbed the guy's shoulders and turned him to me. "Dude, calm down."

"I can't calm down. I've just woke up in frigging Frontierland. And-" He stopped, as if he'd been hit with a bucked of cold water. "Wait, who the hell are you?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Sam asked him, ignoring his question to me.

Andy turned to him, taking a calming breath as he tried to think before answering. "Honestly... my fourth bong load. It was weird. All of a sudden, there was this really intense smell, like-"

"Sulphur," I sighed, turning to Sam. "He smelt freaking sulphur, Sam."

"How'd you know that?" Andy looked from me to Sam. "Who is this chick?"

"Andy, this is Elizabeth my friend," Sam introduced.

"Hi." I offered Andy a quick smile before turning back to Sam. "We gotta find, Dean."

"Your brother, is he here?" Andy asked, hopeful.

Sam shook his head. "We don't know where he is. I don't even know if he's a-"

I cut him off, "Don't. Say it and I'll beat you to the ground, Sam Winchester," I warned.

Dean and Sam were family. If anything happened to them, I'd die. So, the idea of Sam even suggesting that Dean might be dead. No. I wouldn't believe it.

The sound of a scream had us all turn in the direction Sam and I had come from. Without wasting a second, we hurried to find where the screaming was coming from.

**SPOV**

"Help me, please! I'm locked in here!" a woman screamed.

"Hello?" I called as Lizzie, Andy and I followed the noise.

The woman kept screaming. "Help! Help me!"

We came to a padlocked wooden door. It shook as whoever was inside kicked or hit at it.

I stepped up to the door, calling out to the woman inside. "Okay. Okay. I'm here. We're gonna get you out, all right? Just hold on a second."

"Please," she cried.

"Sam," Lizzie spoke. I turned to her and she gestured for me to move. "I got this."

Stepping out of the way as Andy moved to stand next to me, we watched as Lizzie lifter her hand, concentrated on the door, and then, with a flick of her wrist, the door tore off its hinges.

"Whoa." Andy was awestruck. "Who is this chick?"

When I looked at her shocked, she shrugged. "I've been practising."

Turning back to the door, I only had a second before two arms wrapped around me. "Sam, thank you!"

Looking down at the dark hair and listening to the voice, I knew who was hugging me. "Ava?"

Lizzie tugged her leather jacket closer to her as she looked from me to Ava. "So, you two know each other?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

"How did- How- I mean, how-" Ava couldn't even form an actual sentence.

"Ava." I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back so she'd look up at me. "Have you been here the whole time?"

She looked confused. "What whole time? I just woke up a half an hour ago."

"Oh... you're _that_ Ava." Lizzie nodded, understanding now. She gave Ava an apologetic look. "You disappeared like five months ago."

"We've been looking for you everywhere," I added.

Ava shook her head. "Okay, that's impossible, I saw you two days ago."

"You didn't. I'm sorry."

Her face fell. "But that makes no sense. It's- Oh, my God! My fiance, Brady, if I've been missing for that long, he must be freaking out."

Lizzie and I shared a look, both of us knowing what happened with Brady. "Well..." I started, but was cut off as Ava spoke again, looking over to Lizzie.

"Who are they?"

"Andy and Elizabeth. I know them," I assured her.

Andy gave her a little wave. "Hey. Andy. Also freaking out."

Lizzie sighed, "I'm actually kinda bored, and would really like to get the hell out of here."

I was just about to agree when Ava shook her head again. "I'm not going anywhere until someone tells me what's going on."

"We don't know," I told her. "But, I know one thing. I know what the four of us have in common."

Another voice calling out stopped me from going on. "Hello? Is anybody there?"

"What do you say, Sammy? Friend or foe?" Liz asked, turning in the direction of the noise.

I shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

"Okay then." Lizzie nodded. "Ava, you're with Sam. Andy, with me."

I knew what she was doing. The other two couldn't take care of themselves, that was obvious. But the two of us could. We could also take care of both Andy and Ava. I had a feeling Lizzie would have preferred taking care of Ava, but the brunette wasn't letting go of my arm anytime soon.

"Ready?" She looked to each of us, not waiting for an answer. "Good, let's go."

"Is she always this bossy?" Ava asked following me.

Andy gave a casual shrug. "I kinda like it."

**EPOV**

"Hello?" Sam called out. "Hey." We came around a corner, seeing another guy and girl. "Hey, are you guys all right?"

The guy, who was dressed in military clothes, nodded. "I think so."

"I'm Sam," Sam introduced himself.

"I'm Jake."

"Lily," the girl added.

Sam tried looking past them. "Are there any more of you?"

Jake shook his head. "No."

"How did we even get here?" Lily asked. "A minute ago, I was in San Diego."

Jake turned to her. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I went to sleep last night in Afghanistan."

"Yeah... that's not making anyone feel better," I admitted, taking a seat on the step, leaning my back against the railing so I could see everyone.

"Let me take a wild guess." Sam looked to both of them. "You two are both twenty-three?" When they turned to him surprised, he shrugged. "We all are. And we all have abilities."

Jake tensed. "What?"

"Started a little over a year ago, when you found you could do things," Sam explained. "Things you didn't think were possible. I have visions. I see things before they happen."

Ava's voice was quiet as she spoke. "Yeah, me too."

"And I can put thoughts into people's heads, make them do stuff." Andy added. "But don't worry, I don't think it works on you guys. Oh, but get this, I've been practising. Training my brain, like meditation, right? So now, it's not just thoughts i can beam out, but images too. Like, anything I want. It's like, bam, people, they see it."

I sighed, "Andy?"

"Yeah?" He looked to me.

"Shut up."

"Oh... okay." He nodded, head down.

"So you go, 'Simon says give me your wallet', and they do? You have visions?" Lily looked to Ava, Andy and Sam, pissed. "That's great. I'd kill for something like that."

"Lily, listen. It's okay," Sam tried.

But she wasn't listening. "No, it's not. I touch people, their hearts stop. I can barely leave my house. My life's not exactly improved. So screw you! I just wanna go home."

"You think we don't?" I asked, not holding back the attitude or brashness.

She turned to me. "Don't talk to me like that."

"Why not?" I got up. "With the way you just spoke to us, I think it's only fair." Stepping closer to her, I got defensive. "You're not the only one freaking out, sweetheart."

"Don't call me-"

"Hey!" Sam yelled, shutting us up. "Look, whether we like it or not, we're all here. And so we all have to deal with this."

"Who brought us here?" Andy asked. I had a feeling we were all wondering the same thing.

Sam and I locked gaze, both of us knowing.

"It's less of a who-"

"And more of a what," I finished for him.

Ava shook her head, confused. "What does that mean?"

"It's uh..." Sam gave a short laugh, knowing what reaction he was about to get. "It's a demon."

Lily rolled her eyes as everyone looked to Sam and I like we were insane.

**DPOV**

"This is it." Bobby gestured to the map in front of us that rested on the hood of my Baby. "All the demonic signs and omens over the past month."

"You joking? There's nothing here," I noted.

"Exactly." He nodded.

I sighed. "Come on, there's gotta be something. I mean, what about the normal, low-level stuff? You know, exorcisms, that kind of thing."

"That's what I'm telling you. There's nothing. It's completely quiet."

I stepped away from the car, frustration building. "How are we supposed to look for Sam and Liz? What do we just close our eyes and point?" My phone began to ring then. I looked to the ID before answering, "Ash, what to you got?"

" _Okay, listen, it's a big negatory on Sam and Lizzie._ "

"Come on, you gotta give us something. We're looking at a 3000-mile haystack here."

He lowered his voice as he spoke again, " _Listen, Dean, I did find something._ "

"Well, what?" I pressed, not having time for this.

" _I can't talk over this line, Dean._ "

"Come on, I don't have time for this!"

" _Make time! Okay? Because this-_ " There was a pause before he started talking again. " _What's up. What's going on._ " Another short pause before he was talking to me again. " _Not only does this almost definitely help you find your brother and Lizzie, this is... it's huge. So get here. Now._ " He hung up before I could respond.

Shaking my head, I put my phone away. "I guess we're going to the Roadhouse. Come on." I gestured to the car before we both got in and drove off.

**EPOV**

"So we're soldiers in a demon war to bring on the Apocalypse?" Jake asked, pacing, clearly not happy.

"When you put it like that-"

Jake cut Sam off, "And we've been picked?"

"Yes," Sam answered.

"Why us?"

"I'm not sure. Okay? But look, I just know-"

"Sam," Ava spoke up, catching his attention. "I'm sorry, psychics and spoon-bending is one thing. But demons."

Sam sighed, "Look I know it sounds crazy."

Jake shook his head. "It doesn't just sound it."

"I don't really care what you think!" Sam snapped at him. He'd been trying to explain everything to these people for a while now. I hadn't bothered. I knew the only way they'd believe, is if they saw. "If we're all here, that means it's starting. We gotta-"

Jake cut him off again, "The only thing I gotta do is stay away from wackjobs, okay? I've heard enough. I'm better off on my own." he looked to the others. "FYI, so are you." With that he started to walk off.

"Hold on," Sam called after him, but Jake just kept walking.

Once he was gone I stood up, dusting off my pants as I turned to the others. "Okay, let me be clear. I do not care if any of you decide to walk off and leave right now. But if you stay, Sam and I will protect you. All of you."

"Visions and putting pictures in heads won't do much." Lily looked me up and down. "What can you do?"

I lifted my hand, gesturing to a dead tree nearby. It snapped in half, the broken part falling to the ground.

"That good enough for you?" When she didn't respond I nodded to the others. "Now we're going after Jake. He may think he can handle what's out there. But he is so, very, very wrong. So, if you don't want to _die_ out here, I suggest you stay close."

**SPOV**

We'd found Jake just in time. The others had seen as Lizzie and I stepped into the old class room and acted quickly. Lizzie pushed Jake out of the way with her mind as I grabbed an iron rod that sat in the corner, and swung it at the creature which had been about to kill Jake. Black smoke had appeared where the creature had been before it flew out of the room, past Lily, Ava and Andy.

"Just so you know?" I looked to the four newbies. "That was a demon."

"Don't worry." Lizzie gave Jake's shoulder a hard pat. "It's gone... for now."

"For now?!" Ava practically screeched.

I nodded, walking out of the building. "That thing, I'm not sure, but I think it was an Acheri. A demon that disguises itself as a little girl."

Lizzie nodded as she and Jake followed me out. "Easy way to prey on people. Appear as something sweet, innocent, and helpless," she added.

"That still doesn't tell us where we are, though." I noted, turning to look at the others, seeing Andy freaking out. "Andy, you with me or what?"

He lifted his hand, gesturing for me to wait. "Give me a minute. I'm still working through 'demons are real'..."

**EPOV**

Ava and Andy stood next to me, close, both clearly scared. Our small group had gathered around a well in the middle of the town where a brass bell hung.

"I've seen that bell before," Sam noted, trying to remember where he would have seen it. "I think I know where we are now. Cold Oak, South Dakota."

"Wait..." I frowned. " _The_ Cold Oak? The town so haunted every resident fled?" I asked, earning a nod from Sam.

"Swell. Good to know we're somewhere so historical." Ava tried for some humour to lighten the mood. Though it obviously didn't work.

Lily looked from Sam to me. "Why in the world would that demon or whatever put us here?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," Sam answered.

"You know what?" Lily shook her head. "Doesn't matter. Clearly, the only sane thing to do here is get out of Dodge." She turned to leave.

"Wait, hold on," Sam called after her. "Lily, the only way out's through miles of woods."

She stopped, but didn't turn back to us. "Beats hanging out with demons."

"Lily, we don't know what's going on yet," Sam noted.

"Oh, and let's not forget the big picture." When everyone turned to me, I shrugged, having no idea why they hadn't realised it yet. "Demons don't stay gone this long. The thing attacked Jake while he was alone. It's not going after us all together. It's trying to pick us off."

Sam nodded. "Plus we don't even know how many of them are out there right now."

"They're right," Jake started. "We should just-"

Lily spun around to face us. "Don't say 'we'. I'm not part of 'we'. I have nothing in common with any of you," she snapped.

"Okay, look, I know that-"

She cut Sam off. "You don't know anything. I... I accidentally touched my girlfriend."

All our faces fell as we realised what that meant. She'd killed her girlfriend. Stopped her heart with a single touch.

"I'm sorry."

She looked up at Sam, trying not to cry. "Whatever. I feel like I'm in a nightmare and it just keeps getting worse and worse."

"I've lost people too," he told her. "I have a brother out there right now. I don't even-"

"Don't you dare say it, Samuel," I warned, cutting him off with a glare. I could not and would not lose anyone else.

Sighing, he went on without finishing his sentence, "Look, we're all in bad shape. The best way out of this is to stick together."

Lily gave in, "Fine."

...

"Iron, silver and salt people," I called, watching as they all walked past me, heading towards the building at the end of the town. "Any kind of weapon."

Jake paused to look at me confused. "Salt is a weapon?"

Sam nodded. "It's a brave new world."

"Well, hopefully there's food in your world, because I'm frigging starving," Andy muttered as I started to walk beside him, up the steps to the building.

"Everyone split up, search everywhere," Sam told us.

Without hesitating, I started for the stairs, ready to search on the second floor. It didn't take me long to realise Andy was right behind me. "You do know the meaning of split up, right?" I grinned, looking over my shoulder at him.

He shrugged. "I thought my chances would be better with the chick that can pull doors of hinges and break trees in two."

"Fair enough." I nodded. "Just don't slow me down."

**DPOV**

"What the hell?"

Pulling into the parking lot of the Roadhouse I could not believe what was in front of us. The place was gone. Burnt down to a crisp.

I stopped the car, both Bobby and I rushing over to the door frame that was still left. On the ground, we could see the charred bodies of everyone who had been inside at the time.

"My God." Bobby shook his head, looking at the rubble and deceased.

"You see Ellen?"

It took a moment before he answered. "No. No Ash either."

I was about to agree when I spotted a watch on an arm and recognised it in an instant. "Oh, Ash. Damn it."

**SPOV**

Ava had been following me around the building as we searched for anything and everything we could use. Walking into another room, I spotter a chest in the corner. Stepping up to it, I crouched down and opened it, finding a few things inside, including a rusty knife.

The sound of Ava groaning had me look over at her.

"Hey. You all right?"

She'd been rubbing at her temples, but stopped then. "Yeah. I'm just... I don't know, a little dizzy."

"Are you sure it's not some kind of-"

"What? Freaky vision thing?" she asked, cutting me off. "No. More like I'd kill for a sandwich. I haven't eaten since... well, who knows," she sighed. "No, it's... don't worry. I'm fine, except for every single thing that's happening."

"You guys? We found something," Andy called.

We left the room, meeting up with Jake before we entered the kitchen where Lizzie was casually sitting on a counter, two large bags of salt on either side of her.

Andy stood with a bag of salt in hand and a large smile on his face. "Salt."

"That's great, Andy." I nodded, feeling a little better about our situation. "Now we all can-"

Lizzie cut me off, "Where's Lily?"

I frowned, looking around. "Lily?" When there was no response I yelled louder, "Lily!"

The sound of a giggle outside was followed by the sound of something falling. Lizzie jumped off the counter and ran, the two of us taking lead as we rushed out of the building an onto the porch.

She came to a stop the moment we spotted the windmill. "Crap."

Lily was dead, hanging from the windmill.

"Oh, my God." Ava grabbed my arm. "Okay, that's... that's officially... Sam, she's dead. She's dead! You said we were chosen for a reason. That is not chosen. That's killed. We have to get out of here."

"I second that motion." Andy nodded.

"Not sure that's an option." Jake shook his head, seeming to see the same thing as Lizzie and I now.

Ava frowned, confused. "What?"

"Lily was trying to leave," I explained. "The demon's not gonna let us get away that easy. We gotta gear up for the next attack."

"Gear up?" Ava looked more horrified than confused now.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Okay, well, I'm not a soldier. I can't do that."

Lizzie turned to Ava. "If you wanna live, you've got no choice. None of us do."

Shaking her head, Ava stormed off a moment before Jake offered to take Lily down.

I sighed, turning to Lizzie. "You know, I'm just thinking about how much Dean would help right now. I'd give my arm for a working phone.

"You know, you may not need one," Andy spoke up. "I, uh, I mean, I've never tried it long-distance before but do you have anything of Dean's on you? Like, something he touched?"

Patting down my pocket I looked for something. "I got a receipt." I pulled it out of my pocket and offered it to him. "Will that work?"

He nodded, taking it. "Yeah." looking down at the signature he paused. "'D. Hasselhoff'?"

"Yeah. That's Dean's signature." I nodded, when he looked up at me confused, I shrugged. "It's hard to explain."

Andy grinned. "All right."

**Bamby**


	30. Survival of the Fittest

**DPOV**

"This is-"

I cut Bobby off as we started for Baby again, "What the hell did Ash know?" I asked, turning my back on the destroyed Roadhouse behind us. "We got no way of knowing where Ellen is, or if she's even alive. We got no clue what Ash was gonna tell us. Now, how are we gonna find Sam and Liz?"

"We'll find them," Bobby assured me.

I was about to ask how when I felt my head begin to pound, like something was trying to get into my mind.

"Dean?"

"No," I groaned as the pain got worse.

An image of an old brass bell appeared in my mind.

As fast as it came, the pain faded.

Bobby looked at me from the other side of the car, worried. "What was that?"

"I don't know. Headache?"

"You get headaches like that a lot?"

"No." I shook my head. "No. Must be the stress." Sighing, I pulled away from the car, "Could have sworn I saw something."

"What do you mean, like a vision? Like what Sam gets?"

"What? No." _That's ridiculous._

He shrugged. "I'm just saying."

"Come on, I'm not some psychic."

But just as I finished my sentence, my head started hurting again. I hunched over, grabbing the hood of the car as a feeling like my skull being cracked open sent ripples of pain all over.

"Dean?"

Images. The bell. An old town. Sam. Liz. They all flashed in my mind, blurry and unclear, like a message written in code.

"Dean?" Bobby grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back to reality. "Are you with me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I think so." I nodded gently, trying to catch my breath. "I saw them. I saw Sam and Liz. I saw them, Bobby."

"So it was a vision."

"I don't know how, but yeah." I took a deep breath, standing back up again. "That was about as fun as getting kicked in the jewels."

"What else did you see?" he pressed.

"Uh... there was a bell."

"What kind of bell?"

"Um... like a big bell with, uh... some kind of engraving on it, I don't know."

"Engraving?"

"Yeah."

"Was it a tree? Like an oak tree?"

I looked up at him, having no idea how he guessed that. "Yeah, exactly."

"I know where Lizzie and Sam are."

**SPOV**

Lizzie was watching over Ava and Andy in a room lined with salt while Jake and I were in outside, working on trying to break some iron parts off an old tractor. When Jake grabbed a rode and broke it off the wheel, I looked at him impressed.

He tried to explain, "I'm not Superman or anything. It's no big deal."

"You're in Afghanistan when it started?"

"I started getting headaches." He nodded. "And then there was this accident. This guy flipped his vehicle on a bad road. He got pinned underneath. I lifted it off him like it was nothing. Everybody said it was a fluke adrenaline thing."

"But then you did it again, right?"

"Bench-pressed eight hundred pounds stone-cold calm," he answered. I just gave a short laugh, shaking my head. "I never told anybody, of course. It was just too crazy."

I shrugged. "Yeah, but crazy's relative."

"I'm starting to get that." He nodded. "By the way, I appreciate what you and your friend are doing here."

"What are we doing?"

"Keeping calm," he answered like it was obvious. "Keeping them calm. Especially considering how freaked to hell you really are. I've been in some deep crap before myself. I know the look."

I sighed. "You wanna know the truth? I got this brother. He's always telling me how he's gonna watch out for me, how everything's gonna be okay. You know, kinda like how I've been telling them."

"Yeah?"

"I don't know if I believe it this time," I admitted. "I mean, the size of what's coming... it's bigger than anyone's ever seen. It's gonna get bad. And I don't know if-"

"If we're gonna make it?" He shook his head. "Doesn't matter if we believe it. Only matters that they do."

...

Ava and I were searching the house a little more as the others waited downstairs in the salt lined room.

"My horoscope said I shouldn't have gotten out of bed." Ava gave a short laugh before turning to me. "How you doing? Holding up?"

"I'm okay. What about you?"

"Not so okay. Why us, Sam? What did we do to deserve this?"

I shrugged. "Just lucky, I guess."

"Wasn't for bad luck, wouldn't have no luck at all." She shook her head. "I just can't wait for this all to be over so I can just pretend it never happened. I just wanna curl up with Brady and watch bad TV." I looked away guiltily, which caught her attention. "What is it? Sam... do you know something that I don't?"

"Look, Ava. I... I'm sorry, wish I didn't have to tell you this."

"Tell me what?"

"When the demon broke into your house to take you, your fiance didn't make it. I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "No. It's... no" Pulling me close, she cried into my chest.

...

I looked from Jake who was standing by the door, iron rod in hand, to Andy who was sleeping at the table, to Ava who was sitting next to him practically shaking she was so scared. Then there was Lizzie, who sat next to me, looking out the window.

"Go to sleep, Sam." She smiled as she turned to me. "You're not gonna make it much longer. Just sleep."

"She's right," Jake agreed. "I can keep watch," he offered.

Turning to Lizzie again, I didn't feel right putting my guard down when they could end up in some trouble. "Are you sure?"

She simply nodded. "I know how to kick butt, Sam. You know that."

"Okay." Sighing, I rested my head against the wall, slowly closing my eyes.

...

_When I opened my eyes my heart stopped. Behind Jake, leaning on the door frame, was the Yellow-Eyed demon himself._

_"Jake, behind you!" I warned, but no one even flinched._

_"Howdy, Sam." The Yellow-Eyed Demon stepped right over the salt line as he grinned at me._

_"I'm dreaming."_

_Instead of answering, the Demon stopped in front of me. "What do you say, you and I take a little walk?"_ _Having no choice, I got up, watching him carefully as we left the room. We were silent until we were on the porch outside. That's when he spoke up again,_ _"You're awfully quiet, Sam. You're not mad at me, are you?"_

_"I'm gonna tear you to shreds, I swear."_

_He laughed, "When you wake up, tiger, you give it your best shot."_

_"Where's my brother?"_

_"Quit worrying about Dean. I'd worry more about yourself."_

_"What, you gonna kill me?" I stopped following him and raised my arms, gesturing for him to just do._

_But he didn't do it. "I'm trying to help you. That's why we're talking. You're the one I'm rooting for."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"Welcome to the Miss America Pageant. Why do you think you're here? This is a competition. Only one of you crazy kids is gonna make it out of here alive."_

_"I thought we were supposed-"_

_"Soldiers in a coming war?" he cut me off. "That's true. You are. But here's the thing. I don't need soldiers. I need_ soldier _. I just need the one."_

_"Why?"_

_"Well, I couldn't just come out and say that, could I, Sam? I had to let everyone think they had a fighting chance. But what I need is a leader."_

_"To lead who?"_

_"Oh, I've already got my army. Or, I will, soon, anyway."_

_"You son of a bitch."_

_"Honestly, I'm surprised you hadn't guessed. I mean, why do you think so many children flamed out already? Max Miller and Andy's brother, what's-his-name? Even sweet little Elizabeth. I let her die." He grinned. "They just weren't strong enough."_

_"Lizzie's not dead though."_

_"Yes, well, semantics. But she will be. Or you will be. Like I said, I only want one. I'm looking for the best and brightest of your generation."_

_"My generation?"_

_"Well, there's other generations, but let's just worry about yours. That's why I'm here, Sam. I wanna give you the inside track. You're tough, you're smart, you're well trained. Thanks to your daddy. Sam. Sammy. You're my favourite."_

_"You ruined my life. You killed everyone I love."_

_"The cost of doing business, I'm afraid. I mean, sweet little Jessica? She just had to die. You were all set to marry that little blond thing. Become a tax lawyer with two kids a beer gut, and a McMansion in the suburbs. I needed you sharp, on the road, honing your skills, your gifts."_

_"What about my mum?"_

_"That was bad luck."_

_"Bad luck?_ _"_

_"She walked in on us. Wrong place, wrong time."_

_"What does that mean?"_

_"It wasn't about her. It was about you. It's always been about you."_

_"What?"_

_"Well... Okay. You caught me in a charitable mood. I'll show you." Lifting his hand, he clicked his fingers._ _We were no longer standing in the abandoned town, but in a baby's nursery._ _"Look familiar?" Yellow-Eyes asked me. "It should"_

_I looked around, my eyes landing on the man that stood above the baby's crib. That told me where we were. My room, right before everything happened._

_I went to grab the man, but the Yellow-Eyed Demon stopped me. "Relax, Sam. This is just a hi-def instant replay. Enjoy the show."_

_"_ John? _" A woman walked into the room._

_"Mum."_

_"_ Is he hungry? _" she asked the man, not knowing who it was. When the man just shushed her, she shrugged. "_ Okay. _"_

_"Wait, mum," I called out to her, but she'd already walked off. "Mum!"_

_"What did I just tell you, Sam, she can't hear you. This isn't real."_

_The man cut open his own wrist, letting the blood drip into baby-me's mouth._

_"What the hell are you doing to me?"_

_"Better than mother's milk." Yellow-Eyes grinned._

_"Does this mean I have demon blood in me?" He just chuckled, pissing me off. "Answer me!"_

_Mum came running back into the room, looking to the man by the crib. He spun around to her, revealing his yellow eyes._

_Mum froze. "_ It's you. _"_

_"She knew you."_

_She went to lunge at him, but with a quick gesture he flung her across the room, pressing her against the wall._

_"No." I shook my head, watching as she slid up the wall and onto the roof. "No!"_

_"I don't think you wanna see the rest of this," Yellow-Eyes noted before he clicked his fingers again._

**EPOV**

Sam was mumbling in his sleep, clearly having a nightmare. I'd tried waking him, but it was no use. Besides, I was feeling tired myself, a yawn pulled itself from my lips as if to prove my point

"You can sleep, too," Jake offered. "We'll be fine."

Normally I would have argued, but for some reason, I felt sleep pushing at my shoulders. I hadn't even had time to respond before I was closing my eyes and drifting off.

...

_My eyes opened just a peek, but it was enough for me to catch sight of a man sitting next to Andy at the table. A man who hadn't been there before. A man with yellow eyes._

_I sat up glaring at him. "You know, it's about time we met."_

_He laughed, "I like you. Unlike this lot," he gestured to Ava, Andy and Jake, "you've got spunk."_

_"I'm gonna have your throat in my hands in a second... just give me a moment to wake up and find you."_

_"You're not the first to threaten me, sweetheart." He shrugged, standing up. "But you're right, we haven't properly met before. The name's Azazel." He offered me his hand._

_Instead of taking it, I got to my feet on my own, still glaring at him. "Elizabeth. But you already knew that."_

_"Yes, I did. Just like you know who I am."_

_"The asshole who put us here, did this to us and killed Sam's mum and girlfriend."_

_He grinned. "Not just them... you're father too."_

_Without thinking about it, I flung him across the room with my mind. He crashed into the wall, cracking it with the force. But he didn't move. No he stayed there as I held him in place, squeezing him at the same time._

_"If this wasn't a dream, I would rip you to shreds." I glared._

_"Oh, I believe that," he chuckled, like what I was doing amused him instead of hurt. "But right now, I'd be more worried about yourself."_

_"I'm not stupid. Sam and the others might not have figured it out, but I did the moment I saw Lily swinging." I let him go, watching as he landed on his feet effortlessly. "Its survival of the fittest. Am I right?"_

_Raising his hands, he gave me a slow clap. "You're just as quick minded as they say. I'm glad your mum made that deal, brought you back. Would have been a major loss if she hadn't. Should probably thank Meg too. If it wasn't for her, you'd still be lost."_

_"Well then you can thank her after I kill both of you."_

_He chuckled again, "Oh, I'll never be bored with you around. You're the cherry on top, sweetheart!" he said with a wink. "Hopefully you'll end this all quickly then."_

_"If you think I'm gonna kill someone, then you're wrong. Hell, I'm gonna fight to keep them all alive."_

_"That's not how the game is played, Lizzie."_

_"This isn't a game. These are human beings!" I snapped at him, disgusted. "And if you think I'm gonna let anything hurt them, especially Sam, then you've got another thing coming. I'd rather die."_

_"Really?" He looked me up and down, impressed. "You'd risk your own life to keep Sammy alive? You'd do anything to keep him safe?"_

_"Yes." I didn't even have to think about it._

_"Good." He nodded. "Keep that sweet spot you've got for him, because in the future you're it's gonna come in handy."_

...

"Lizzie, wake up."

"Sam. Wake up."

I woke with a start, seeing Sam next to me waking up a second after. We both looked up to see Jake and Andy looking down at us.

Jake looked to each of us. "Ava's missing."

We were up in an instant, ready for action.

"Andy, stay here. Don't cross the salt," I told him as I moved to grab an iron rod off the table. "Jake, Sam and I will head out, go look for her. We all meet back here in ten minutes no matter what. Then we'll figure out our next move."

"I'll take the barn and the hotel," Jake offered as the three of us started for the exit. "You two take the houses."

Sam nodded. "See you in ten minutes," he told Jake once we were off the porch and on the dirt road.

Before Sam could walk off, I grabbed his arm and waited until we were alone. "The Yellow-Eyed Demon, he visited me in my sleep."

His eyes went wide. "You too? What did he say?"

"That... he killed my father." Hearing those words, Sam flinched, but I went on before he could even open his mouth to try and speak. "He also told me that only one of us is going to get out of this alive."

Sam sighed, looking away from me. "Yeah, he told me that part too."

"Look, this asshole can say whatever he wants, but there is no way I'm letting anything happen to you." I held his arm tighter, making him look to me again. "I swear."

He gave me a small smile. "I know, Lizzie. And I'm not gonna let anything happen-"

A scream grabbed our attention.

We both spun back to the building we'd taken shelter in, recognising the scream as Ava's. Breaking into a run, we moved as fast as we could, rushing into the house and towards the salt lined room. That's where we found Ava screaming, standing over Andy's bloody, dead body.

"Sam. I just found him like this," she cried.

Sam walked over to her, looking down at Andy's body. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

"How'd that thing get in here?" Sam took a step back from Ava, looking down at her. "Where were you?"

"I just went to get some water from the well," she cried. "I was only gone maybe like two minutes."

"You shouldn't have gone outside. Ava, we have to stay in here," Sam reminded her

I frowned, walking over to the window, seeing that some of the salt had been brushed away, breaking the line. "I think I found out how the demon got in, Sam."

He looked over at the broken salt line. "Who did that?"

Ava shook her head. "I don't know, maybe Andy-"

He cut her off. "Andy wouldn't do that. Ava, that line wasn't broken when I left."

"What? You don't think that I-"

"I'll tell you what I think." Sam was tense now, standing over her. "Five months. You're the only one with all that time you can't account for. And that headache you got?" He started towards her as she backed up. "Right when the demon got Lily?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing," she insisted, but when she could see Sam wasn't believing it, she dropped the act. "Had you going though, didn't I?" She grinned, wiping her tears away. "Yeah. I've been here a long time. And not alone either. People just keep showing up. Children, like us. Batches of three or four at a time."

"You killed them? All of them?" Sam asked, disgusted and shocked.

"I'm the undefeated heavyweight champ."

"Oh, my God." He shook his head.

"Don't think God has much to do with this Sam." She looked so smug and proud of herself.

"How could you?"

"I had no choice. It was me or them. After a while, it was easy. It was even kind of fun. I just stopped fighting it."

"Fighting what?"

"Who we are, Sam. If you just quit your hand-wringing and open yourself up you have no idea what you can do. The learning curve is so fast, it's crazy. The switched that just flip in your brain." she laughed. "I can't believe I started our just having dreams. Do you know what I can do now?"

"Control demons," he answered.

She nodded. "You are quick on the draw." Pressing her fingers to her temple, she concentrated fast. As smoke gathered outside the window next to me, she spoke again. "I'm sorry, guys, but-"

Before she could finish, hands grabbed her neck and twisted, breaking it. The smoke disappeared once Ava was dead. As she fell, Sam and I looked at Jake thankful and shocked.

**SPOV**

The three of us walked out of the house, with me in the lead. "I think we can make it out of here now," I noted.

"But the Acheri demon-"

Lizzie cut Jake off, "Ava was controlling it. It shouldn't come back now that she's dead."

I nodded. "Lizzie's right. We gotta go."

"Not we, Sam." Jake stopped. "Only one of us is getting out of here. I'm sorry."

Grabbing Lizzie and putting her behind me, I frowned at Jake, confused. "What?"

"I had a vision," he explained. "That yellow eyed demon, or whatever it was, he talked to me. He told me how it was."

I shook my head. "No, no, Jake, listen, you can't listen to him."

"Sam, he's not letting us go. Only one. We don't play along, he'll kill all of us. Now, I like you, both of you, I do. But do the math here. What good's it do for all three of us to die? I can get out of here. I get close to the Demon, I can kill the bastard."

"You come with us, we'll kill him together," I offered, not wanting this t turn worse than it already was.

"How do I know you won't turn on me?"

"Dude, you're the one talking about killing us!" Lizzie snapped at him. "Yet here we are, willing to go with you. Together. We're not gonna kill you."

But he didn't believe her. "I don't know that."

"Okay, look." I grabbed the knife from my belt and put it on the ground slowly. Lizzie followed suit, dropping her iron rode. "Just come with us, Jake. Don't do this. Don't play into what it wants." Nodding, he lowered himself down, putting his own rode on the muddy ground before slowly standing up again. I let out a breath of relief, "Okay."

Suddenly he lunged forward, punching me. I went flying through the air. When I landed there was a second or two before Lizzie landed right next to me.

She groaned, pulling herself up onto her elbows. "Are we killing him or not?"

"Not," I managed to get out, in pain myself.

The sound of something snapping had us both look over to see Jake kicking the wooden fence apart as he started for us.

"Crap. Get up, Sam." Lizzie carefully and gradually pulled herself up before she stood in front of me protectively. She lifted her hand and sent Jake flying back, but only a few feet. "I can't hold him off for long."

She was weak, tired and hadn't all day. All of those things were making it harder for her to actually do any damage. Before long, she wouldn't be able to do anything. Turning around, she offered me her hand and pulled me to my feet.

As I looked over her shoulder I saw Jake already up and coming for us. "Lizzie, stay back!" I pushed her behind me.

As he reached us, he swung at me. I dodged but wasn't fast enough. He hit out at my shoulder dislocating it. I stumbled, giving him a chance to get to Lizzie. She ducked low and kicked out at him, getting him to the ground. While he was down I kicked at his ribs a few times while she used her mind to hold his arms down. When I stopped Lizzie lifted her hand again and sent him back to the dirt road.

My eyes landed on the knife and rod. Groaning while holding my shoulder, I walked over to them. Reaching down, I grabbed the rod and swung just in time to hit Jake as he went to stand, sending him back to the ground again.

"Is he dead, or just knocked out?" Lizzie asked, looking down at him. When he moved his head, she shrugged. "Knocked out it is." I groaned, causing her to turn to me. "Come on, let's get the hell out of here and get you fixed up."

I nodded. "I think I'd like that."

"Sam! Liz!" The voice was faint, far away, but we both heard it.

Turning, we started to walk down the road, both too beat up to run. Two figures appeared from around a corner. Bobby and Dean.

"Sam, Liz." Dean looked so relieved.

"Dean." A smiled spread on my face.

Lizzie relaxed next to me. "Thank God."

Dean eyes went wide as he started to run towards us. "Look out!"

There was no time. Lizzie pushed me out of the way without thinking. I landed on the ground and watched as Jake drove the knife into her back.

"Liz!"

Getting to my feet, rage fuelling my actions, I reached for him. But like sliding a knife out of butter, he pulled the blade from Lizzie and turned so fast I had no time to react. Before I knew it, the knife was buried deep in my gut.

**DPOV**

"No!" The word ripped out of my throat as I ran.

I knew Bobby would go after the other guy. Right now, I had to get to Sam and Liz.

Dropping to my knees, I grabbed Sam, keeping him up. Reaching over I grabbed Liz, pulling her to me so she sat up and leaned against my side. "Hey, come on." I shook them both carefully. "You're okay. You're both okay." My hand touched the wet patch of blood on Liz's back. "It's not even that bad," I lied, my voice shaking, eyes watering.

She coughed, spilling blood onto the ground. "You're a bad liar, Winchester."

"No." I shook my head, looking from her to Sam. "Hey, listen to me. We're gonna get you both patched up, okay? You'll be as good as new. I'm gonna take care of you. I got you." I pressed a kiss to Liz's forehead before leaning over to press one to Sam's. "I got you. It's my job, right?"

But there was no response. Looking down at both of them, they were both unmoving.

"Sam... Liz... Sammy!" I shook him. "Liz!" grabbing them both, I pulled them closer, holding them to me. "No, no, no. Oh, God. Oh, God." My body shook as I cried harder than ever before. "No!"

**Bamby**


	31. Sealed with a Kiss

**DPOV**

I stood in the doorway of the room I'd put Sam in. Bobby had left a day or so ago, I don't know, I'd lost track of time. All I knew was that he'd taken Liz. I'd begged him not to. But in the end, we ended on compromising. He would wait. He would take her, but he wouldn't burn her. We'd do it together.

So far, I hadn't been able to leave the abandoned town we'd found Sam and Liz in. Where they'd been killed. I'd just been spending my time watching over my brother, like I should have from the beginning. I never should have let him out of my sight.

The front door opened. "Dean?" Bobby called. I turned to see him walk into the room, carrying a bucket of fried chicken. "Brought you this back." He put it down on the table.

"No, thanks. I'm fine." The words were automatic, emotionless.

"You should eat something."

"I said, I'm fine." Pushing off the wall, I turned to head towards the table where I grabbed a bottle of bourbon and drank.

"Dean. I hate to bring this up," he sighed. "I really do. But don't you think maybe it's time... we bury Sam and Lizzie?"

I looked to him, needing only one word to answer. "No," I told him, taking a seat at the table.

"Well, we could maybe-"

I cut him off, "What, torch their corpses?" I shook my head. "Not yet."

"I want you to come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Dean, please."

"Would you cut me some slack?"

"I just don't think you should be alone, that's all. And I gotta admit, I could use your help. Something big is going down. End-of-the-world big."

"Well, then let it end!" I yelled.

"You don't mean that."

I stood, kicking the chair out from under me. "You don't think so? Huh? You don't think I've given enough? You don't think I've paid enough?" I shook my head. "I'm done with it. All of it. And if you knew what's good for you, you'd turn around, get the hell out of here." When he didn't move, I shoved him. "Go!"

He looked at me hurt, worried, scared. That when I remembered... He'd lost them too. Hell, Liz had practically been his daughter...

"I'm sorry." I looked away. "I'm sorry. Please, just go."

Not needing to be told again, he turned for the door. "You know where I am." With that, he left, closing the door behind him.

...

"You know, when we were little, you couldn't have been more than five, you just started asking questions." I gave a little smile, looking down at Sam as I sat next to his bed. "How come we didn't have a mum? Why do we always have to move around? Where'd dad go? I mean, he'd take off for days at a time. I remember I begged you, 'Quit asking, Sammy. Man, you don't wanna know'. I just wanted you to be a kid. Just for a little while longer.

"I always tried to protect you. Keep you safe. Dad didn't even have to tell me. It was just always my responsibility, you know? It's like I had one job. I had one job. And I screw it up." My voice cracked as I tried not to cry. "I blew it. And for that, I'm sorry." A tear escaped, running down my cheek. "I guess that's what I do. I let down the people I love. I let dad down. I let Liz down. And now, I guess I'm just supposed to let you down too.

"How can I?" I shook my head. "Am I supposed to live with that? What am I supposed to do? Sammy?" I cried. "What am I supposed to do?" Standing up, I kicked at my chair. "What am I supposed to do?!"

...

I slammed my foot on the accelerator, having my destination in mind. Nothing was going to stop me. Nothing and no one. Living without Sam, I couldn't do that. Living with Liz, I wouldn't do that. They were family. _We_ were family. I'd rather die than be without them.

By the time I reached my destination I was more determined than ever. Slamming on the brake, I shut the car off before getting out and moving to the trunk. I pulled everything I needed out, knowing there was no turning back now. I was here and I was doing this.

Everything I needed was in the small metal box. I grabbed it and moved to the middle of the crossroad. Getting on my knees I dug, using my hands. Just deep enough so I could put the box in the hole and cover it.

Once I was done I stood and looked around, waiting. "Oh, come on, all ready. Show your face, you bitch!"

"Easy, sugar, you'll wake the neighbours."

I turned to find a woman in a black dress with curled, dark hair that sat on her shoulders. She flashed her red eyes at me, smiling.

"Dean. It is so, so good to see you." She looked me up and down. "I mean it. Look at you." She stepped towards me. "Gone and got your family killed. All alone in the world. It's too sweet. Excuse me, you're gonna have to give me a moment. Sometimes you gotta stop and smell the roses." She grinned. "How is your friend, by the way? Elizabeth Rose Hart, right?"

I snarled at her. "I should send you straight back to hell."

"Oh, you should. But you won't. And I know why."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Following in daddy's footsteps. You wanna make a deal. Little Sam, back from the dead."

" _And_ Elizabeth."

"Hmm... and let me guess, you're offering up your own soul?"

"There are a hundred other demons who'd love to get their hands on it. And it's all yours. All you gotta do it bring them back. You give me ten years. Ten years and then you come for me."

Her grin fell. "You must be joking."

"It's the same deal you give everybody else."

"You're not everybody else," she noted, stepping up to whisper in my ear. "Why would I wanna give you anything? Keep your gutter soul, it's too tarnished anyway."

"Nine years," I offered.

"No." She backed up.

"Eight."

She laughed, "You keep going, I'll keep saying no."

"Okay, five years. Five years, then my bill comes due. That's my last offer. Five years or no deal."

Moving close again, she looked to my lips, leaning in for what looked like a kiss. But then she pulled back, grinning up at me. "Then no deal."

"Fine."

"Fine." She looked so smug as she turned to leave. "Make sure you bury Sam before he starts stinking up the joint."

"Wait," I called, causing her to pause and turn. "What do I have to do?"

"First of all, quit groveling. Needy guys are such a turnoff," she answered, walking back to me. "Look. Look, I shouldn't be doing this. I could get in a lot of trouble. But what can I say? I got a blind spot for you, Dean. You're like a puppy. You're just too fun to play with," she sighed. "I'll do it."

"You'll bring them back?"

"I will. And because I'm just such a saint, I'll give you one year and one year only. But here's the thing. If you try and welsh or weasel your way out, then the deal is off. Sam drops dead, he's back to rotten meat in no time. So? It's a better deal than your dad ever got. What do you say?"

Grabbing her I leaned in, pressing my lips to hers before she could change her mind. I quickly pulled back, looking down at her. "Are we done? Did you bring them back?"

"'Them'?" She shook her head, grinning. "No."

Rage flared up inside me. "But you said-"

"I know what I said." Shrugging, she turned around and started to leave. "But I can't bring back something that's not dead."

I looked to the ground for a moment, trying to think about what the hell she meant. "What are you talking about?" But as I looked up, I found she was gone.

**EPOV**

I sat up with a start, reaching for my back. I could feel the scar, where Jake had stabbed me. How'd I survived? Did that mean Sam was okay too?

Groaning, I pulled myself up. I was in my room back at Bobby's. I recognised it in an instant. It was exactly how I'd left it. Forest green walls, wooden dresser and chest of drawers. Wooden double bed with dark purple sheets- which were now, unfortunately, stained with blood- and white lace curtains that covered the window.

_How the hell did I get here?_

It was a bit of a struggle, my muscles ached and throbbed, but I still managed to get to my feet. Once I stood, I walked towards my door, turning the handle. Using the wall, I headed for the stairs, wanting to find somebody. _Needing_ to find somebody.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice sore and hoarse.

There was the sound of something dropping before heavy feet were running. They rushed up the stairs, rounding the corner, nearly bumping into me before coming to a quick stop.

Bobby's eyes were wide as he looked me up and down. "Lizzie?"

"Yes, obviously." I rolled my eyes. "Now can you please tell me what the hell happened?"

He shook his head, still stunned. "You... you died."

**SPOV**

I stepped up to the mirror in the room I'd woken up in. It was a struggle, but I managed. Lifting my top, I looked at the red and clearly fresh scar on my stomach. A door opened and closed from somewhere in the house. I dropped my top and turned just in time to see Dean walk into the room.

"Sammy? Thank God."

"Hey."

He stepped forward, pulling me to him, holding me tight.

I groaned, still feeling pretty tender. "Dean."

"Sorry." He pulled back. "I'm sorry, man, I'm just... I'm just happy to see you up and around, that's all. Come on, sit down." He gestured for me to sit on the bed I'd woken up on.

"Okay." I did as he asked, letting him help. "Dean, what happened to me?"

"Well, what do you remember?"

"I saw you and Bobby and-" It came back to me then. "Lizzie! Where is she? Is she okay?"

Dean looked a little unsure as he answered. "I, uh... I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? Jake stabbed her."

"Yeah, he stabbed you, too. You lost a lot of blood. You know, it was pretty touch-and-go for a while."

I frowned. "But, Dean, you can't patch up a wound that bad."

"No, Bobby could," he explained. "Who was that kid anyway? Jake?"

"Did you get him?"

"No." He shook his head. "He disappeared in the woods."

"We gotta find him, Dean. And I swear, I'm gonna tear that son of a bitch apart." I got to my feet, feeling an anger in me I'd never felt before. He'd tried to kill me. I had no idea if he'd killed Lizzie. If I got to him, he was dead.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Dean stood. "Easy, Van Damme. You just woke up, all right. Let's get you something to eat, huh? You want something to eat?" When I nodded, he smiled. "I'm _starving_. Come on."

**DPOV**

I stood by the table in the abandoned building as Sam sat. We were having a feed. After not eating for the last couple of days, it was good to actually have something in my stomach. But having Sam back was the best feeling ever. I thought I'd never see him again, that he'd be gone forever. But here he was.

He'd just finished telling me what had happened here, in the town. He told me about all the people that were here. Why they were brought here. How Ava, his friends, had turned and killed Andy. He told me pretty much everything, but I had a feeling there was more. I still had some questions to fill in the blank spaces.

"And that's when you guys showed up," Sam finished explaining the whole thing to me.

There was just one thing I didn't understand. "But why did the demon take Liz?"

He shook his head. "I... I don't know."

"Jeez. Poor Andy." I liked him.

"The demon said he only wanted one of us to walk out alive."

"And he told you that?"

"He told me, Lizzie, Ava, Jake. Appeared in our dreams."

"He tell you anything else? You know if he told Liz anything else?"

"No. No, that was it. Nothing else," he answered, but I had a feeling he was lying. At least about part of it. "You know, what I don't get, Dean, is if the demon only wanted one of us then how did Jake, Lizzie _and_ I get away?"

I shrugged, trying to think of a quick response. "Well, I mean, he left you both for dead. I'm sure he thought it was over."

To tell you the truth, I had no idea if Liz was okay. The crossroads demon said she couldn't bring back something that's not dead. That made me think that either Sam or Liz hadn't actually died. But they did. So what did it mean? Had someone else brought them back? Some _thing_ else?

"So now that Yellow Eyes has Jake, what's he gonna do with him?" I asked.

"I don't know. But whatever it is, we gotta stop it."

"Hold on, all right? You need to get your rest. We got time."

"No, we don't."

"Sam, oceans aren't boiling, okay? Frogs aren't falling from the sky. Let's get you your strength back first."

"Well, did you call the Roadhouse? They know anything?"

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Dean, what is it?"

Taking a seat across from him, I took a breath before telling him truth. "The Roadhouse burned to the ground. Ash is dead. Probably Ellen, a lot of other hunters too."

"Demons?"

I nodded. "Yeah, we think so. We think because Ash found something."

"What did he find?"

"Bobby's working on that right now."

"Well, come on then." He stood up. "Bobby's only a few hours away."

When I saw him struggling I got up to stop him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop, Sam. Stop, damn it. You almost died in there. I mean, what would I have... can't you just take care of yourself for a little but, huh? Just for a little bit."

"I'm sorry. No."

**EPOV**

I sat on the couch in the living room, looking out the window, a blanket over my lap and a cup of soothing peppermint tea in my hands. Bobby had told me everything. How Sam had died. How I had died. How Dean was a mess. How the Roadhouse was gone. How Ash was dead. How Ellen was missing. How Jake got away.

It had all been a little too much for me to wake up to. So, after he'd helped me downstairs, I set myself on the couch while he worked at his desk, the two of us needing to be close but also because he wanted to keep an eye on me.

A knock on the door had Bobby get up and move to answer it. I didn't move though. I just stayed where I was, looking out at the now bright blue sky.

"Hey, Bobby."

"Hey, Bobby."

I frowned, turning to look over at Bobby. _It can't be..._

As Bobby spoke, my suspicions were confirmed. "Sam... it's good to see you up and around."

Sam and Dean were here.

I reached over carefully and put my mug down as I listened to them, staying where I was seated on the couch.

"Yeah," Sam spoke. "Well, thanks for patching me up."

"Don't mention it." Bobby was trying to hard not to sound confused and shocked. But seeing me rise from the dead and now Sam… it was a wonder he wasn't having a heart attack.

"Well, Sam's better," Dean noted. I could tell he was playing dumb. "And we're back in it now. So, what do you know?"

The sound of footsteps approached as Bobby spoke. "A lot and not much," he answered as he walked into the room. "For starters, both Sam _and_ Lizzie seem to have healed up just in time."

Dean froze when he saw me, his skin paling a shade or two. Sam on the other hand looked relieved. I could tell in an instant, he didn't know the truth. He didn't know we died. I was willing to keep it that way. But that didn't mean I wasn't going to ask Dean questions. I knew he had the answers, and I was sure as hell was going to get them.

"Hey." I offered a small and weak smile, not really feeling it.

Sam moved forward. "Thank God you're okay." He leaned down and wrapped his arms around me in a careful hug.

I gave him a gentle pat on the back. "Yeah, you too."

"Anyway, now that we're all here," Bobby started. "I found something, but I'm not sure what the hell it means."

Sam pulled back. "What is it?"

"Demonic omens," Bobby answered. "Like a frigging tidal wave. Cattle deaths, lightning storms. They skyrocketed from out of nowhere. Here." He gestured to a map on his desk. "All around here. Except for one place. Southern Wyoming."

"Wyoming?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, that one area's totally clean. Spotless. It's almost as if..." Bobby cut himself shot.

"What?" Sam pressed.

"The demons are surrounding it," Bobby answered.

Dean shook his head. "You don't know what?"

"No, and by this point my eyes are swimming," Bobby sighed, turning to Sam. "Would you take a look at it? Maybe you can catch something I couldn't."

Sam nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

"Thanks." Bobby then turned to Dean. "Come on. I got some more books in the tuck. Help me lug them in." It wasn't a question, it was an order, and it was so he could talk to Dean in private. He walked over to me then. "You gonna be okay?"

I nodded up at him. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good." Leaning down, Bobby pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Just holler if you need me."

"Okay." I smiled up at him and watched as he left.

Dean was right behind, but before he disappeared behind the corner his eyes caught mine. I had no idea what had happened, but with the way he looked I had a feeling me and Sam coming back was his doing.

**DPOV**

Once we were in the yard where all the old cars and pieces were, once we were far enough away from the house, Bobby turned to me, pissed.

"You stupid ass. What did you do?" He grabbed my jacket, shaking me. "What did you do?!" When I didn't answer, he let me go. "You made a deal. For Sam and Lizzie, didn't you? How long they give you?"

"Bobby-"

"How long?!"

"One year."

He sighed, and took a step back. "Damn it, Dean."

"Which is why we gotta find this yellow-eyed son of a bitch. That's why I'm gonna kill him myself. I mean, I got nothing to lose now, right?"

He grabbed me again. "I could throttle you."

"And send me downstairs ahead of schedule?"

Shaking his head, he pushed me back. "What is it with you Winchesters, huh? You, your dad, you're both just itching to throw yourselves down the pit."

"That's my point. Dad brought me back, Bobby. I'm not even supposed to be here. At least this way, something good can come out of it, you know. Like my life can mean something."

"What, and it didn't before? Have you got that low an opinion of yourself? Are you that screwed in the head?!"

"I couldn't let them die, Bobby. I couldn't. He's my brother. Liz is family." I shook my head.

"How do you think they're gonna feel where they know you're going to hell? How'd you feel when you knew your dad went for you?"

"You can't tell them. You take a shot at me, whatever you gotta do. But please don't tell them."

He opened his mouth to speak but was stopped at the sound of a gate opening. We both turned, one thing on our minds. It was the demons, and they were back for Sam and Liz.

**EPOV**

"Bobby, is this really necessary?" Ellen asked, looking at the shot of holy water he'd just given her.

When Bobby and Dean had brought her in I'd wanted to wrap her up in a hug. But they stopped me. They wanted to be safe first. For all we knew, she could be a demon.

"Just a belt of holy water." Bobby shrugged. "Shouldn't hurt."

Shrugging, she downed the shot without a fuss. "Whiskey now, if you don't mind."

I jumped off the couch and pushed past the brothers. Throwing my arms around Ellen, I planted myself on her lap, crying into her shoulder.

Using her free arm, she held me there as the other hand put the shot glass down before brushing my hair back. "I'm okay. I'm all right." She assured me.

Times where I was vulnerable, where I was a soft girl who needed someone to hug and hold, those times were only for Ellen and Bobby. She was a mum to me, he was a dad. Where he was protective, she was caring. They were always there for me, just like now.

"Ellen, what happened?" Dean asked, getting to business. "How'd you get out?"

"I wasn't supposed to. I was supposed to be in there with everybody else. But we ran out of pretzels, of all things. It was just dumb luck," she told him before drinking the shot of whiskey Bobby had poured her. "Anyway, that's when Ash called, panic in his voice. He told me to look in the safe. Then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky-high. Everybody was dead. I couldn't have been gone more than fifteen minutes."

"Sorry, Ellen," Sam offered.

"Lot of good people died in there." She started stroking my hair again. "And I got to live. Lucky me." She didn't sound like she felt lucky.

I would have known a lot of the people who'd died. I'd spent years coming and going like the rest of them. Hunting with some. Playing pool with some. Drinking with some. But it was losing Ash that hurt the most. I'd loved him. Not romantically, but he'd been family.

"Ellen, you mentioned a safe," Bobby noted, not having time to mourn right now.

She nodded. "A hidden safe we kept in the basement."

"Demons get what was in it?" he asked.

"No." She shook her head as she pulled me away for a moment before pulling something out from her jacket. I moved back into place as she handed the object to Bobby and the guys. It was a map, pointing to to one place in particular.

"Wyoming?" Dean spoke up. "What does that mean?"

**DPOV**

"I don't believe it." Bobby shook his head, walking into the living room, carrying a book.

He'd been looking up for anything that might help us. Sam and I had been looking too. Liz though, she hadn't left Ellen's side. She'd stopped crying at least, and was now just sitting close to Ellen at the table as well, her knees to her chest. I'd never seen her like this before. It honestly scared me.

"What, you got something?" Sam asked Bobby.

"A lot more than that." Bobby gestured to the map in front of me. "Each of these X's is an abandoned frontier church, all mid-nineteenth century. And all of them built by Samual Colt."

Now that name rang a bell. "Samual Colt? The demon-killing, gun-making Samual Colt?"

"Yep," Bobby noted. "And there's more. He built private railway lines connecting church to church. That just happened to lay out like this." He grabbed a pen and began to draw on the map.

I could not believe my eyes. "Tell me that's not what I think it is."

"It's a Devil's Trap," Liz spoke. "It's a hundred-square-mile Devil's Trap with an iron boarder no demon can cross."

"I never heard of anything that massive," Ellen noted.

Bobby shook his head. "No one has."

"After all these years, none of the lines are broken? It still works?"

"Obviously," Liz answered me, a little snappier that necessary.

I looked up at her. "How do you know?"

"She's right Dean. All those omens Bobby found," Sam started. "I mean, the demons, they must be circling and they can't get in."

"What's inside?" Ellen asked.

"That's what I've been looking for. And there's nothing except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle," I answered.

Sam frowned. "What's so important about a cemetery? What's Cold trying to protect?"

I suddenly had an idea. "Well, unless..."

"Unless what?" Bobby pressed.

I shrugged. "What if Colt wasn't trying to keep the demons out? What if he was trying to keep something in?"

"Could they do it, Bobby?" Sam asked. "Could they get inside?"

"This thing's so powerful you'd practically need an A-bomb to destroy it." Bobby shook his head. "No way a full-blood demon gets across."

"No," Sam sighed, taking a step back. "But I know who could."

**SPOV**

"Howdy, Jake."

Jake spun around to look at me only to freeze when he saw my gun aimed at him.

We'd gotten to the cemetery before him, all five of us. We'd been hiding, waiting for him to show. Sure enough, here he was. Now we all stood in front of him, guns raised and ready.

"You..." Jake looked from me to Lizzie. "You were dead. Both of you. I killed you."

"Yeah? Well, next time, finish the job." I shrugged.

"I did," he insisted. "I cut clean through her spinal cord." He gestured to Lizzie before nodding to me. "Practically gutted you, man. You can't be alive. Either of you. You can't be."

Was he right? Had Lizzie and I died? If so, how were we back? Did someone do something? Make a deal? But who? The answer came to me in an instant. Dean. He'd made a deal. He'd brought us back.

"Okay. You just take it real easy there, son," Bobby warned, focusing my attention again.

Jake turned to him. "And if I don't?"

Lizzie cocked her gun. "Wait and see."

He grinned at her. "What, so you're tough all of a sudden? What are you gonna do? Kill me?"

"It's a thought." I nodded.

He shook his head. "You had your chance. You couldn't."

But this time was different. "I won't make that mistake twice."

He laughed.

"What are you smiling at, you little bitch?" Dean asked.

Ignoring Dean, Jake looking to Ellen. "Hey, lady. Do me a favour. Put that gun to your head." Ellen did as he said. It was clear she didn't want to, but she had no choice. His abilities had expanded, now, he was like Andy too. "See, that Ava girl was right." He grinned. "Once you give in to it, there's all sorts of new Jedi mind tricks you can learn."

"Let her go," I ordered.

"Shoot him." Ellen's voice shook as she struggled to talk.

"You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot off," Jake warned. "Everybody put your guns down. Except you, sweetheart." He smiled at Ellen again. Having no other choice, we all dropped our guns. "Okay. Thank you." He nodded.

Turning quickly, he pulled out the Colt before sliding it into a hole in the crypt he'd been close to and turned it. Doing all of this in a matter of seconds.

Lizzie had acted quickly, turning to Ellen and lifting her hand. Ellen's gun flew into her grasp despite their distance. Then she aimed the gun at Jake and pulled the trigger without wasting a second. She shot him in the back six times and then stopped, watching him drop to the ground.

Bobby turned to her. "What the hell was that?!"

"I just saved Ellen's life, and got a little pay back," she answered simply.

I picked up my gun and walked over to Jake. He looked up at me with pleading eyes, but instead of helping him I lifted my gun and shot him, right in the head.

"Uh, guys..." Lizzie gestured to the crypt behind me.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw parts of the crypt moving, which was clearly not a good thing.

As the pieces stopped moving, clicking into place, Bobby said two words none of us wanted to hear. "Oh, no."

"Bobby, what is it?" Ellen asked him.

"It's hell."

Dean stepped forward and pulled the Colt out, but it was too late.

"Take cover! Now!" Bobby yelled.

Turning, we all ran, ducking behind gravestones just in time before the crypt doors opened and a storm of black smoke came rushing out.

**DPOV**

"What the hell just happened?" I yelled over the outrageously loud noise coming from the now open crypt doors.

"That's a Devil's Gate, a damn door to hell," Ellen answered, voice just as loud. "Come on, we gotta shut that gate."

We all stood and hurried over to the Gate's doors.

I stopped and looked down at the Cold which I still held. "If the demon gave this to Jake then maybe..." I turned around, my instincts right.

Standing there, a few feet away, was the Yellow-Eyed demon himself. I lifted the gun to shoot him, but as I did he lifted his hand. The gun flew from my grip and into his.

"Boys shouldn't play with daddy's guns," he grinned.

Suddenly something pushed me, sending me flying through the air. My head hit a tombstone hard before I landed in the dirt.

"Dean!" Sam yelled before he started to run towards me, seeing the Yellow-Eyed demon ready to kill me.

He would, too. I'd always wondered why he'd kept me around for all these years, why he hadn't just killed me like he'd killed mum and Jess. But looking up at him now, I could see that whatever the reason was it didn't matter anymore. He was going to kill me. This was the end of the road.

Sam didn't get very far before the Demon turned, lifted his hand, and sent my brother flying back into a tree where he held him there. "I'll get to you in a minute, champ. But I'm proud of you." He smiled. "I knew you had it in you." Turning back to me, he pushed me against the tombstone with his mind. "Sit a spell."

This was it. This was the end. I was going to die. But at least Sam would be alive. At least he could finish the job without me.

"So, Dean, I gotta thank you." The Yellow-Eyed demon crouched down by me. "You see, demons can't resurrect people unless a deal is made. I know, red tape, it'll make you nuts. But thanks to you, Sammy's back in rotation," he laughed. "Now, I wasn't counting on that, but I'm glad. I liked him better than Jake anyhow. Tell me, you ever heard the expression, 'If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is'?"

I sneered at him. "You call that deal good?"

"It's a better shake than you dad ever got. And you never wondered why. I'm surprised at you. I mean, you saw what your brother just did to Jake, right? That was pretty cold, wasn't it?" he chuckled. "How certain are you that what you brought back is one hundred percent pure Sam? You of all people should know that what's dead should stay dead. Anyway..." he stood up, "thanks a bunch. I knew I kept you alive for some reason. Until now anyway. I couldn't have done it without your pathetic self-loathing, self-destructive desire to sacrifice yourself for you family." He lifted the Colt and aimed it at my head.

Before he could shoot, something grabbed him from behind. A ghost. But not any ghost. Dad.

He grabbed the demon, pulling it from its vessel. That gave me enough time to get up and grab the Colt. Sure enough, the demon went back in. But as he stood and turned to me, he froze.

I didn't even give him time to blink before I pulled the trigger.

Once we were sure the demon was gone for good. Dead. I look up, my eyes landing on my father.

My heart swelled, eyes watered. I thought I'd never see him again. But here he was. He looked just as he had before we'd lost him. He looked happy, healthy and proud. Proud of Sam and I. Proud that after so many years, we'd finally done it. We'd killed the son of a bitch.

Dad smiled, stepping up to me, resting his hand on my shoulder. Looking over, he smiled at Sam. Then he stepped back and within a moment he disappeared, going wherever it is he belonged now.

...

Sam and I stood over the dead vessel of the Yellow-Eyed demon. I was experiencing a mixture of emotions. Relief. Amazement. Shock. Underwhelmed. Overwhelmed. Proud. Exhilarated. So many emotions, I couldn't even name them all.

A small smile played on my lips as I looked up at Sam. "Well, check that off the to-do list."

Looking up at me, I could see a roller coaster of emotions in his eyes just as he'd see in mine. "You did it."

"I didn't do it alone."

"Dean, do you think dad really... You think he really climbed out of hell?"

"The door was open." I shrugged. "If anyone's stubborn enough to do it, it'd be him."

"Where do you think he is now?"

"I don't know."

"I kinda can't believe it, Dean. I mean... our whole lives, everything, has been prepping for this. And now, I kinda don't know what to say."

"I do." Crouching down, I looked at the demon's cold, empty eyes. "That was for our mum. You son of a bitch."

**EPOV**

I was waiting by the car, kicking at the dirt. Ellen and Bobby were at the truck, waiting as well, but they also knew to stay back, to give us some space, because the moment the guys came back I needed to have a word.

Walking around the corner, Dean smiled as he saw me, heading my way. Sam was right behind me, deep in thought.

"You know..." Sam started, causing Dean to turn to him, "when Jake saw me and Lizzie, it was like he was seeing ghosts. I mean, hell, you heard him, Dean. He said he killed us."

Dean kept with the charade. "Glad he was wrong."

But Sam wasn't buying it anymore. "I don't think he was, Dean. What happened, after I was stabbed?"

"I already told you," Dean insisted.

Sam shook his head. "Not everything."

Dean sighed, "Sam, we just killed the Demon. Can we celebrate for a minute?"

"Did we die?"

"Yes," I answered, seeing that Dean wasn't going to.

Sam looked heart broken, hesitating a moment before looking to his brother again. "Did you sell your soul for us like dad did for you?"

"Come on. No!" Dean insisted.

Sam shook his head, turning to his brother completely. "Tell me the truth. Dean, tell me the truth."

"Sam..." It wasn't much, but it gave Sam his answer.

Sam looked away, nodding, understanding, as tears formed in his eyes. "How long you get?"

Giving up, Dean answered him. "One year. I got one year."

"You bastard." My voice shook as I felt my own tears roll down my cheek.

Dean turned to me. "No. Don't get mad at me. Either of you. Don't you do that. I had to." He turned to Sam to explain. "I had to look out for you. That's my job."

"And what do you think my job is?" Sam countered.

"What?"

"You save my life over and over," Sam started. " I mean, you sacrifice everything for me. Don't you think I'd do the same for you? You're my big brother. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. And I don't care what it takes. I'm gonna get you out of this. Guess I gotta save your ass for a change." A small smile played on his lips.

Dean nodded, slightly smiling at well. "Yeah."

"Well, Yellow-Eyed Demon might be dead, but a lot more got through that gate," Ellen noted as she and Bobby came over to us.

"How many do you think?" Dean asked.

"A hundred," Sam guessed.

"Maybe two hundred," I added. "It's an army."

Bobby shrugged, looking to the brothers and I. "Hope to hell you three are ready. Because the wars just began."

"Well, then..." Dean grinned. "We got work to do."

Bobby and Ellen nodded, turning to head towards Bobby's truck. If we were going to do this, there was no time like the present. Sighing, wiping away the tears I hadn't gotten rid of yet, I pushed off Baby and started to walk off.

"Hey." Dean started after me, grabbing my arm. I stopped and turned to him, seeing uncertainty in his eyes. "I'm... I'm not sorry. You're family, Liz. You're important to me. To us. We'd do anything for you. That's why I did it."

"I get it. But that doesn't change anything, Dean. You still sold your soul. You're still going to die."

"I know." He looked everywhere but my eyes. "Look, I know it's complicated and hard and it sucks, but can we just... can we just go? Come on." He gestured to Baby. "You wanna get out of here?"

"Yeah," I answered. As his eyes finally locked onto mine, I pulled my arm from his grasp slowly. "But not with you." Turning away I walked towards Bobby and Ellen, not looking back once.

**The End…**

**Bamby**


End file.
